One Look Says It All
by Nellyanel
Summary: Anna grew up with shape-shifter friends, hearing stories about vampires. She is expecting every possible things as she joins her sister Bella on her journey to keep Edward Cullen from killing himself. She expects everything, except being the soulmate of one of the kings that is. But there is no doubt as to this when her gaze meets Caius Volturi's one. OC/Caius COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi everyone!**_

_**Thank you so much for giving this story a look. I hope you're going to enjoy it.**_

_**Obviously, Twilight doesn't belong to me, or I wouldn't be posting this on a **_**fanfiction**_** website.**_

_**I'll be publishing a chapter of about 1000 words every day. This doesn't give me much time to proof read, so there will be a lot of English mistakes... Sorry.**_

_**Oh, and this story will have MATURE content, featuring consensual sexual activities. You've been warned.**_

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My twin sister Bella is standing up on the cliff looking down to the angry waves of the sea a good ten meters down her feet. My best friend Leah and I are standing on the shore, watching her, and we wave when Bella turns her head towards us. She is going to jump.

And so she does.

One great breath and she runs to drop away from the cliffs, and more importantly away from the rocks the waves are crashing into.

"That's my girl!" Leah shouts. One week ago, Leah's father, Harry Clearwater, died of a heart attack while he was helping Bella and I's father, chief Charlie Swan, hunt down some big wolves. Or at least, that's the story. Even though Dad doesn't know it, the wolves are no danger to us, nor are they the one responsible for the deaths which were assumed to be of animal origin. Vampires are the one to fear, and it was a vampire who chocked Harry to death.

Victoria is her name, and she has been after my sister for a few months since Edward Cullen, Bella's ex-boyfriend, killed her mates James when he tried to drain my twin of her blood.

The wolves, like I said, are no threat. In fact, they are the one who protect us. They are shape-shifters and Leah is one of them since last week when her grief over Harry's death triggered her and her brother Seth's transformation.

Among Bella, Leah and I, I was the first one to discover that the world holds two intelligent species beside the human one. While Bella continued to live with our divorced mother, I chose to go back to our father in the small town of Forks, Washington, needing the calm and quiet, but most of all the stability I couldn't get while moving around from city to city with my mother, Renee.

When I arrived in Forks just before starting High-School I went over to the reservation several times with my father. Dad's two best friends lived there : Billy, who still does, and Harry. There I met Leah, and through her I also became friend with her cousin, Emily. I was with Emily when Sam, the first shape-shifter of this generation, turned into a wolf for his second time. Luckily, as I was standing between Emily and Sam to calm them down as they were fighting, Emily came out unscathed. I didn't, which earned me Sam's unconditional friendship since to his eyes I protected his beloved from great harm. Not that I mind being protected by the wolves' Alpha. It came in handy when Bella moved in, joining me and Dad.

The Cullen had come to live in Forks one year earlier, and through Sam and the elder of the Tribe, I learned that they were vampires. Maybe I would still have tried to get to know them, that is if they didn't make a show of staying away from the other students to keep the mystery around their family safe. Maybe them being wary of me because of my knowledge would have made all the efforts I could have done vain anyway.

It doesn't matter, because Bella and Edward had an instant connection and it didn't take long for them to become friends, and than lovers. I therefore found myself interacting with vampires, and I did love all Cullens. Until they left and Edward broke Bella's heart. It is quite unfortunate, I was quite happy with how I managed to make vampires and wolves get along through me.

Well, vampires and wolves - it was mostly Alice Cullen and Leah, and Leah wasn't really a wolf then, but... Anyway.

Edward left Bella, and it broke my sister's heart, and I have tried to lift her spirits with Leah's help ever since.

Hence our presence at the shore. Bella wanted to feel adrenaline, she said it made her better, made her feel as if Edward was still here. Leah wants the adrenaline too, because she wants to focus on the present and not her father's death. And I, I gave up on the idea of Bella managing to get over Edward, and I am simply happy that she is back to looking alive.

"I'm going!" Leah shouts, jumping into the water to help Bella out of it. I am not worried: I know that even if my sister's head did not come out of the water since her jump, Leah will be strong enough to lift her up. And the rocks are far enough not to be a danger.

Bella and Leah soon come out of the sea and I hand each a towel and dry clothes. We are laughing as we go back to Bella's car and drive home. There, Leah will leave us, letting us in the care of whatever wolf has been assigned to guard my family. Sam doesn't want to take any chance when it comes to Victoria.

But things are not to go as expected, I realize the moment Bella notices Carlisle Cullen's car parked in front of our home. One of the Cullen has come back. Who? And more importantly, why?

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_**AN edit : I went back and erased all author notes from this fanfic now that it is completed. You are of course still welcome to leave reviews, follow this story, and add it to your favorites.**_


	2. Chapter 2

How I ended up in a stolen car racing to Volterra is still half a mystery to me.

"No offense Bella, but your ex is really stupid."

Honestly, he is! When Bella and I came home from our dive we met Alice who was waiting there for us, very surprised to see my sister alive. It took some time for us to explain that Bella didn't try to kill herself as the pixie vampire believed, but then us four girls ended up chatting and catching up. We were still a bit angry about Alice leaving with her family without even a good bye, but the two others must have agreed with me. There is no point into refusing Alice's excuses. The best we could achieve by that is pushing her away, and I like having her as a friend. Spending time with her always makes me feel more beautiful and confident.

I'm not the ugly type of girl, but my hair is basic chestnut and simply wavy, and my eyes are of the most boring shade of brown there is. My body has an hourglass shape, which is awesome, and my curves are underlined and filled with a thin layer of fat. I'm no model, not that I would have had the slightest chance of being one seeing how short I am, but anyway. I'm not thin, but I like to think of myself as sexy curvy. And with Alice, I feel exactly this way. My self-worth issues must be light enough that seeing a beautiful girl I admire enjoying spending time with me makes me feel like I am worth it.

"Of fuck," Alice suddenly breathes as she puts the car back straight. She must have had a quick vision that distracted her, I have never seen her drive any less than perfectly before. Too quickly, yes, but still perfectly.

"What have you seen?" Bella cries. "Will we be too late?"

"No, it's not that," Alice replies quickly, calming our worries. She smiles, a knowing look in her eyes. "It's something else. It has nothing to do with Edward, I'll tell you later." But she is still smiling dreamily and Bella and I exchange a look, wondering what this is now about. We have learned since long that if Alice decides to keep a vision a secret, she wont tell a soul. Even Edward has difficulties fishing it out of her mind.

Before I know it, we arrive in Volterra and Bella jumps out of the car to stop Edward from stepping into the daylight. Alice and I can't go: we are afraid he will read our minds and jump ahead, thinking we want to stop him. Which we do, but he won't believe that Bella is still alive if he doesn't see her, and he doesn't want to live without her.

That guy is so messed up. Of course Bella will die if he doesn't turn her in a vampire! All humans do after all! Ever since I learned of immortal creatures, I wished to become one myself. But my sister has even more reason too, and I simply don't understand the idiot's reasoning. Ah, well... If I ever manage to make a vampire fall in love with me, I'll make sure he wants to turn me.

And to f - sorry, kiss me.

I would love a hot immortal guy to adore every inches of my body. Well, cold skinned guy in this case, but hot looking one. To have a centuries, or even better, a thousands years old vampire be at my feet, finding incredible happiness just in the simple act of our skin touching, and our lips maybe too...

Don't judge me. I'm sure you would want that too. Who doesn't want to feel desired and love by someone they respect and admire? Who doesn't what to tame the beast and to turn the untouchable amazing guy into a fierce protector?

My musing have taken me all the way to the city's place, under the great clock tower. Alice is at my side, guiding me. Bella and Edward are reuniting, my dear sister speaking her mind out to the undeserving probably-not-for-long-anymore ex of hers. I've got no doubt that she will fall back right into his arms - indeed, that's exactly where she is right now. I can't wait to see Leah again so I can complain about my fraternal twin's oh-so-annoying devotion to the one stupid Cullen.

"Stop that," Edward growls to me, using my thoughts as a opportunity to escape the talking down my sister is giving him.

"Sorry. But are you really still not used to my mind's working?" I may be really weird, or totally normal, but there is a huge difference between the personality I have in my mind, and the one I have in 'real life'. Maybe it's because I care too much about what people will think about me. I often wish I would be as brave and strong as my thoughts make me out to be.

Edward opens his mouth to reply but no sounds come out. He instead moves to stand protectively in front of Bella.

I soon discover why.

A small cloaked figure around my height comes out of the shadows. She orders us to follow her in a commanding voice, and we do as she says, Alice silencing up Edward protests that Bella and I have no business with the Volturi.

Bella and I exchange a glance, realization downing on us simultaneously. We aren't meant to be human and alive and knowing about the vampires, and here we are, going to meet the vampire law-makers and law-enforcers.

"Alice wouldn't make us come if anything bad was happening," Bella tries to reassure both me and herself.

"Yeah. And she seemed happy in the car when the vision hit her. Maybe us meeting the Volturi will convince Edward to change you?" I ask hopefully. Alice, who heard us thanks to her super hearing, giggles softly as Edward sights. I let you figure out which one is for turning us and which one is against it.

The Volturi castle is amazing. The corridors are wide and long and torches light up the darkness every few meters, throwing an ominous feeling on each hidden shapes. I love it. I have always loved places with old and magical atmosphere.

On the way to wherever the Volturi guard is leading us, we meet a human. I can't help but look at her, even when we come in front of a huge double door. If I had not the hope of becoming a vampire through Bella and if I didn't have my father and my friends, would I have risked my life as she is doing? Taking the chance to be killed to have the chance to be turned? Ready to lose my life in order to spend be it only one week among vampires?

The door opens under Jane's hand. We walk in and I forget all about the woman. In front of us, three vampires are sitting on three thrones, and they are _gorgeous_.


	3. Chapter 3

Forget that, even gorgeous is an understatement. There are no words in the English language to describe accurately the three fine specimens of human-shaped males who are sitting in front of me.

Upon entering the room they are in, one cannot help but look at them. It is because of their vampire aura, it fascinates and captures the human soul. The Cullen have the same effects on the students at school.

But if the Volturi kings' unnatural beauty catches the eye, it is their natural one which ensnares the onlooker. They are like a male version of Rosalie, but in much, much more dangerous. And with much less respect for others. However, when you gaze at such powerful and beautiful inhuman creatures, can't you help but feel like they are, indeed, superior beings?

My eyes always tend to slip to the left when I'm not straining to see at something, and as such the first of the kings whom I really see is the brown-haired one, Marcus. He is looking away from us, at the wall, but he could as well be ignoring what happens as he could also be paying close attention to each of the sounds we are making. The way his eyebrows are arched, the small opening of his mouth, it makes him seem to be in a sadness pain. I can feel sorrow just by looking at him. Jasper probably wouldn't stand being in Marcus' presence. Guilt flows through me as that thought crosses my mind. I cannot possibly blame someone for suffering!

However, the moment my eyes land on Aro, the black haired king, my guilt is replaced by morbid curiosity. There's something weird about him, something that makes me want to laugh. His face is soft, and a smile seems to be tugging at his lips all the time, a smile that sends shivers in my body. Aro really looks nice and sweet, but the amusement radiating from him is very telling. He isn't as sincere at he pretends to be, especially as he moves forward to greet Edward with exaggerated enthusiasm. I get the feeling he is playing us all, and he loves it.

One glance at the blond king strengthens my deduction. This one is frowning, pouting really, teeth probably clenched.

Sadness and pain, tired of living, angry and probably hotheaded, and overjoyed and finding delight in everything. Is that a three-person version of the good-cop/bad-cop method? Is it on purpose so as to mislead and confuse the onlookers? Is this a way to hide who the biggest threat is among them?

Caius probably is the violent one that everyone hates, Aro seems like the kind, compassionate but crazy one, and Marcus would be the one the people would try to sway to their side so as to make the balance tip into their favor. A mean one, a nice one, and a neutral one. But because Aro is the one who looks like the leader, people would be wary of him. On the other side, they would pity Marcus, and think him to be the kindest. But if all that is a play, who really is whom? Are they three different faces for three very alike coins? Or are they as complementary as they seem?

Aro greets Bella and Edward while I keep thinking.

"What a pleasant surprise! Bella is alive, and well! You must be very happy that we didn't grant you your request."

His voice sound so amazed I have to press my lips together and look down to the floor not to react. This cannot possibly be for _real_. It has to be some kind of comedy he plays to throw us off.

"I am," Edwards answers, his voice clipped.

There is a silence for a while, and I look up to see Aro holding Edwards' hands.

"He can reads every thought one ever had by touching their skin," Alice whispers to me, probably sensing my confusion.

Perfect, just great! An other mind-reader! Does privacy even exist among vampires? Further thoughts make me come to the conclusion that it probably doesn't. Even without mind-reading abilities, the vampire have very good hearing. All the one living in groups probably have heard the others make love at least once in their life. Hey, I'm pretty sure all the Cullens know exactly how Emmett and Rosalie sound in bed. For Alice and Jasper, and Carlisle and Esme, I am not so sure. They seem more private. But surely they don't run off to somewhere private every time they want to spend quality time with each other?

"No, nothing. I can hear nothing."

I look up again to see Aro let go of Bella's hand, annoyance being washed off his face by a curious and eager smile. So he isn't used to not be in control, not to be one step ahead... I have no doubt that he is extremely dangerous. But is he really the mastermind behind his two brothers, or is one of them the puppet-master? Or maybe they are like equals? This last option seems very doubtful. I can't picture power hungry people willing to share their position with others.

"I wonder if all of our gifts would be inefficient on dear Bella... Jane?"

Even as Edward throws himself in front of Bella to protect her of what seems to be a mental pain wave, my boredom and my annoyance grow. Alice and I are completely being ignored. I feel like Demetri and Felix must have felt when Jane came to take us in. She completely ignored them, but truthfully we all did, I muse at Felix jumps forward to restrain an angry Edward.

Then, Jane looks at Bella who seems to have braced herself against something for whatever reason. Love, you really don't look great with that frown upon your face... If frowning doesn't fit the gorgeous vampire up there, it certainly wont fit you, no offense intended.

"Incredible! I wonder, what should we do of her?"

And then, my perfect conspiracy cracks down into dust as Caius opens his mouth. Disappointed is the only word I can think of as he interjects, hissing, that Bella and I are liabilities and should be killed. Can he just try to seem more like a petulant child?!

Really, that's it. I feel like I woke up from a dream to find myself lying on cold and dusty concrete. Vampires are no more amazing than humans. It is depressing, really. Here I stand in front of the so-praised three patrons of the arts, and one is as class-less as one possibly can be. Why do Marcus and Aro burden themselves with such an idiot? Even Aro dismisses Caius interruption and continues thinking aloud.

Caius must have felt my gaze over him for he turns towards me in an angry flow of hair, nose crunched up in disgust, prepared to sneer me down.

But the moment our eyes meet, we both freeze in choc.


	4. Chapter 4

Seriously? _Seriously?!_

There is no doubt in my mind as to what I feel. Despite the blond kings' frowns and sneers, I still find him hot as hell, like his two brothers. But now, on top of that, an unexplained giddiness took hold of my heart. I am unable to think, even unable to rant to myself in complaint about my mate's identity. Yes, I am blessed with being united trough fate to one of the three most powerful vampires. Yes, it is indeed the only one who doesn't inspire me respect. It is unfortunate, because I always felt as if I can only fall in love with someone I consider greater than I. Call it arrogance if you want, but the few times boys told me they loved me, I turned them down with the certainty I would never fall in love with them, because I didn't respect them enough.

And here, fate takes it into her hands to avenge those unfortunate boys. I get the one king whom I already judged as lesser than the two others.

Or maybe it is actually as it should be, my overactive brain supplies. Maybe, if I never fell in love with someone who loved me, it is *because* they loved me, and therefor where already at my feet. Maybe I dismissed them because I took them for granted. I have always known that I dream of getting someone powerful and so high-above-the-others to fall for me. Hell, I was even thinking about that while on my way to Volterra.

But the disdain in Caius' eyes, which I am still looking into, tells a clear story. He despises me, despises the fact that his mate is a weak human. Is this fate's way to insure I will be attracted by the one person I am destined to be with? By giving me a match that will never come to be, because of Caius' repulsion toward humans?

And I, how should I feel about it?

_Be proud. Don't let him get to you. You're strong. And hell, you can always day-dream about fucking one of the three kings or any other hot guy. You don't need to _do _so_.

_The day I let myself be humiliated in order to get a man is not to come._ I answer myself, resolve setting into my heart. I'm a damn proud girl, and I shall behave like it.

I tear my gaze away from Caius' glare and turn towards Aro, pretending my heart isn't beating stronger and faster in excitement.

I'm not going to give into Caius before he falls deep in love with me in the most passionate of manners. I want nothing less but pure adoration, I state to myself.

A cold hand slips into mine, and I turn to see Edward's approving and encouraging smile. He soon lets go of me, but stays close, Bella looking confused at his side. I wave at her in a 'I'll explain later' gesture. Her boyfriend and I never have been really close, but I get the feeling that my bonds with the Cullen family will strengthen as they will support me through this. I know them well enough to know that they will back me up and will enjoy my unwillingness to bow at the blond king.

Aro, whom Marcus had given his hand to, probably to speak to him silently, nods to his brother who goes back to his throne. Then, the overenthusiastic vampire turns towards my mate, eyebrows raised.

"What an unexpected delightful surprise! It changes everything."

"No, it doesn't!" snarls Caius.

"Marcus can see the bonds between people," Edward explains quickly to Bella and I.

"The humans are a liability and should be killed." My mate repeats, for once deadly calm.

"Caius?" Aro seems surprised.

As to I, I am starting to feel uneasy. I feel stupid, as I only now realize how precarious my situation is. I could die, in the next hour. How full of myself must I be that I didn't take seriously the fact that the kings can very well decide upon my death? Now I finally see how possible this outcome is. Fear slowly builds into me and I can only hope that me being Caius' mate and Bella having powers will save us.

Oh God, if I hadn't been Caius' mate, they would have had no reason to spare me. I am so ashamed of my own stupidity and arrogance. I step closer to Alice and grab her arm, trying to feel less frighten, less alone. I am not the invisible spectator anymore, I am the prisoner being judged and possibly breathing my last breaths.

Caius stands up and look down his nose at me.

"Does my stand surprise you, brother?" he asks, not lifting his cold gaze from me. "No one is above the law, and this human broke it." He turns toward Aro. "And I already have Athenodora, whom I love greatly and who is all I need or wish for."

Aro nods to his co-ruler, a sad resigned look on his beautiful face.

"You do. Pardon my eagerness."

And then, he turns toward me, pity in his eyes. My world which was already crashing down hits the ground and shatters, sending sharp slices in my flesh and heart.

*You said you were going to be strong, remember?* I think with despair as tears gather in my eyes.

"There is an other solution, my king." I say, surprising even myself with my words and the firmness of my voice.

"The Cullens will turn Bella and I. Bella, with her gift, will make an amazing vampire. As for me, I am no one special, but there is something that I will give the vampire community should I enter it. I've been working for years now on building a friendship between the Quileute shape-shifters and the vampires. I have the Alpha's ears, trust and affection. You surely know about the Tribe from reading Edward's mind."

Aro seems thoughtful and I feel hope come back to me. Without realizing it, I released Alice and stepped forward during my speech. The pixie girl starts moving once I finish speaking and walks straight to Aro.

"I will change them personally, I have seen it," she declares. "And there is something else you must know."

Aro takes her offered hand with obvious interest and excitement, and this time I guess that it probably isn't faked. In fact, I am surprised he didn't insist on reading all our minds straight at the beginning to learn as much as he could. Alice's mind, especially, must be interesting.

Or he planned on asking us later, that is also possible.

"Fascinating," Aro whispers. "To see what could be, before it even happens." As he read Alice's mind, cupping her hand between his, he had closed his eyes, and now that he opens them, he stares at her with... concern? What did she show him?

"Brothers, dear Bella and her twin shall be turned."

I stumble in relief, all the day's excitement catching up with me. I suddenly feel so tired, and so hungry too. When was the last time I ate?

To my surprise, it is Marcus who speaks next.

"Very well. We will send to check on you in a few months, make sure you become one of us before then."

"Thank you," comes Alice sweet voice, before she bows to Aro and comes back to me.

Caius storms off in anger, turning to us before stepping through a side door :

"It means you can leave, _Cullens_," he snarls, spitting the surname out as if it was an insult. The next moment, he isn't there anymore.

"Ah, do excuse him," sights Aro. "There is something still. Anna, if you please..."

He presents me his open hands, palm up.

I frown a moment in confusion before understanding. Heaven above, I hate how slow my brain is when I am tired.

"Do I have to?" I ask dumbly. I don't want to. I am pretty sure everyone has things they would line to keep private and that Aro has seen it all, but touching his hand will make him see me naked, both figuratively and physically. And it has taken me quite a long time to accept that Edward can hear my thoughts... I feel as if I am a twisted person with some kind of darkness in my soul. I don't know if that is true, but do I really want Aro know about it? Know about how pathetic I can be, know about how bipolar I can be sometimes?

My thinking is cut short when Aro walks forward and takes my hand with vampire speed. Oh God, I _love_ the feel of vampire skin. It is cold, yes, but refreshing in the Italian heat, and every time I am warm and sweating really. Quileutes on the other side are perfect for cold nights.

I snicker silently at that thought. It may be my dirty mind, but it sure sounds to me like it holds much more meaning than it really does. I should ask Emily.

But back to vampire skin - the Cullens told be it breaks like stone does, with a horrible metal-ripping-apart sound, but to the touch it is soft like silk but perfectly stretch and firm. This makes me believe that the change into a vampire makes all wrinkles disappear. So, say, an eighty-years-old person turned into a vampire can very much likely pass as a fifty-years-old one.

"You are not bipolar my dear," Aro says kindly. I look up from our hands to see him look at me with interest and curiosity. "You are hyperactive. Either you are extremely excited and doing a lot of different things simultaneously, your brain working in overdrive, or you are calm and passive, very... unfazed by what happens around you."

"He was going to say you are like a vegetable before he changed his mind. Vampires really don't like vegetables."

A snort escapes me at Edward precision, while Aro sends him a mock-betrayed look.

"Anyway, I am not a mind doctor, but I do think I am right. You're not bipolar. And most people speak with themselves and have contracting thoughts in their heads. So, you're normal."

_What everyone wants to hear,_ I can't help but think, sarcastic.

"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that! You are intriguing, very intriguing."

Sure, says the guy who knows everything there is to know about me.

"You are very unpredictable, Anna. The fact that you always have at least two thoughts at the same time makes it very difficult to know which decision you will make. And I wonder what your gift will be as a vampire. You are Bella's sister, for sure you will have one."

"I hope," I answer with a tone probably alike to the one of a robot.

I am getting annoyed with myself. I am sure I could have fascinating conversations with Aro, but now that I have the opportunity to speak with him, I can only dream of hot chocolate, chocolate covered rice cakes and a warm bed. I don't even want to listen to some music, so tired I am.

"We will see each other again, I am sure. You are to become a vampire after all, ans will live for long. If the Cullens ever tire you, or if you ever want some change, you are welcome to join the Volturi. Dear Bella, Alice, Edward, this goes for you too."

The raven-haired king lets go of my hand as steps back to look at us all.

"Go now, you had a very tiring day and probably want to spend time with each other and have some rest. I look forward to see you again, but for now it is farewell."

His sad smile couldn't be look genuine were we people he loved and watched leaving to maybe never come back. He really should play in movies. Or rather have some main role in a play. He exaggerates too much to play in movies, that's a comedian thing.

"Good bye" murmurs Marcus tiredly, vowels drawn long in boredom, making it sound rather like 'Gooood byeee,' said in a heavy sight.

The brown-haired king is watching the wall, looking like he would want nothing more than to be able to sleep to make time pass by. God, he too is _so_ gorgeous. Hey, if one of the two present kings ever show any interest in me, I'll totally welcome them. Both of them are very different from each other, but I am sure I would move any of them as a lover. They can only be perfect in such a role.

...

And I'm lucky Aro isn't reading my thoughts anymore, because I just thought of cheating on Caius with one of his two brothers.

Not that it would be cheating, since I never promised him anything.

I am very grateful when Edward nods in good bye. Bella, Alice and I copy him, and I throw one last look at the two kings before we leave the throne room, Alice slipping one arm behind my back to support my tired corpse. A glance tells me Bella is not much better.

The two Cullens each take one of us sleepy humans in their arms and run out of the Volturi castle. I close my eyes, a beautiful memory clear in my head. One vampire standing, calm and so attentive looking, and one other in the background, sitting, his ageless face blank but without a doubt hiding a very capable and attentive mind.

But it is the name "Caius" that sounds in the silence of my soul as I fall asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Alice wakes me up as we arrive at the airport, and I stumble out of the car half-asleep. Then, my brain starts working again, and thousands of questions about the meeting with the kings rush through my mind.

Bella and I follow the two vampires through the security check in silence, and once through we accept Alice's offer to buy us some food while waiting for the plane.

Me being me, I am all for going to the McDonald stand. I don't eat there often as I mostly eat at home, but I've got nothing against some good old McFirst menu once in every while. With only one hard look from Bella, Edward closes his mouth. I chuckle at that and pat my twin's shoulder. The amount of control she has on Edward is amazing - and very welcome. He would totally rule over our diet if she gave him free reign to do so.

I wonder if I ever will get the chance to be loved in the same way Edward loves Bella. My sister told me, before the birthday accident that is, that every day she would feel all warm inside because of something he would have done or said. I have no doubt that this is what makes the Cullens be so kind and nice, even if their heart has been frozen for long. They all live one day after the other filled by the love they give and the love they receive.

I eat my burger quickly and then wipe my mouth with my napkin before starting to nibble of my French fries.

"Alice, what was that other thing you showed Aro?"

It seems like I turned on some "You are now allowed to speak" button, for Bella jumps in.

"Wait, before you answer that - what was that with Caius? Marcus can see bonds, he shows something to Aro, and the next moment Caius is supposed to have changed his mind? Anna, are you Caius' mate?"

I gape at my sister as she says this very quickly, her words miraculously still intelligible.

"Didn't think you caught up on that," I admit.

"I didn't, it just came to me as I asked the question." She smiles, and then lift her diet coke and shows it to Edward. "See? Junk food isn't so bad. It makes me smart."

"And if you ate some more," I tell her,"not too much, but a bit every once and there, you'll end up all nice and curvy like me."

"Hey, I'm perfectly fine like that! Am I not Alice?"

The pixie girl lifts an eyebrow as she looks my sister up an down. "You look a bit skinny Bella," she admits. "But we're off topic. Didn't you want to know something?" she says, laughing.

I'm pretty sure she said that just to avoid an awkward conversation. Bella lost an unhealthy amount of weight in the last months. I took her as often as I could to Emily's, hoping the divine cooking and incredible desserts of my friend would give my sister her appetite back, but Bella is the opposite of me. When she is sad, she stops eating. I, on the other hand, just end up eating all day long. I wonder if I will miss chocolate after being turned. Probably. Can vampires eat chocolate if they mix it up with some blood drops? No, that seems weird. But maybe there are beverages which can be made with blood? Cinnamon blood? Spicy blood soup?

"If you were not to be turned, I would jump on the opportunity to try to convince you that being immortal isn't worth losing the ability to eat chocolate," Edward comments.

"There are other kind of chocolate," Bella interjects. "We were discussing one of it by the way. Isn't Caius an eye-candy, Anna?"

Oh my god! It must be the lack of proper sleep, because I squeal at her words. I really didn't expect Bella to say such a thing in front of _Edward_ of all people. Her time with me and my friends must start to loosen her up. But Leah and I do enjoy speaking like that maybe a bit too much, if it is even possible, that is.

"Okay Anna, focus," I say aloud. "Alice? Your vision?"

The look she exchanges with her brother calms me down instantly. She clears her throat uselessly.

"When Caius took the decision to kill you and Aro accepted that, I could see what would happen if they didn't change their mind. You would have died, and at first Caius wouldn't have regretted it. But with time, he would have started to wonder how his life would have been were you at his side. He would not have gotten to know you before killing you, and that thought would obsess him. Were you someone he could have loved? He would become mad with doubt and become very unstable. Aro would have to kill him before he becomes a _liability_."

That definitely changed the tone of the conversation.

"If Aro likes having Blondie as a co-ruler, I can see how that would change his mind about me being killed or not," I finally say.

"But if Anna is Caius' mate," Bella wonders in my stead, as if having read the question in my mind, "how is it that he just let her go?"

We turn towards Edward who looks uncomfortable and keeps silent.

"He despises me, despises the fact that anyone could think he belongs with a human," I take a guess.

"Something like that, yes," Edward admits.

"We want the details please," Bella says. "If you're fine with it, Anna?"

"Sure! I'm curious to know what he thought of me. Aro knows everything about us, it is only justice if we know what the three kings where thinking during the meeting. And I wont get offended if that is what you fear."

Alice chuckles the moment Edward starts answering.

"Caius thinks you are fat, and not near enough to beautiful. He feels insulted by fate pairing him with you."

"Me? Fat? What the hell is wrong with that guy?!" I exclaim, probably louder than I should as the family at the next table turns to glance at me. I shrug to them in apology before focusing on Edward. "I am curvy and sexy, and I am very happy with that!"

"As you should," Bella approves.

"Yes, you are beautiful, and I love shopping for you!" Alice agrees too. "You still think you will not get offended?"

"Na, I'm not offended. He's just too dumb for me to care about. Aro and Marcus though... I'm sure I will have some interesting dreams about them."

Bella chuckles, her cheeks reddening. She admitted once that she admires how comfortable and confident I am, speaking about attraction and desire. Leah, Emily and I worked hard with her during our girls' nights to make her more comfortable too, but it was difficult with her still mourning the loss of Edward. Though her previous comment shows we are going in the right direction. Anyway, I will try to get Alice and Rosalie to join us now that they are back. About that -

"You guys are back in Forks, yes?"

"We are," Edward confirms. "Carlisle called while you were sleeping."

"Rosalie and I will love to join you!" Alice suddenly exclaims, making Edward groan.

"Girl time tomorrow?" I explain to a lost Bella.

"Sure! Count me in. If Sam will allow Emily to stay with two vampires?"

"Let me and Leah take care of that."

Life is finally back to normal. And there is some great event to look forward to! Not the girls' night silly - though it will be amazing, no doubt - the turning! Bella and I will become immortal super-beautiful awesome blood-drinking creatures!

Edward knocks his head on the table in despair. I'm annoying like that, no wonder Caius didn't want of me.

_Fuck_. I was hoping not to think about that.


	6. Chapter 6

Caius' opinion got to me more than I thought it would. The next day I find myself standing in front of my bedroom mirror, staring at my reflection. I just got back from my morning shower and am still only wearing my undergarments - matching red lace bra and panties.

I don't think I'm fat, I think as I observe myself. I don't have any bulges on my body. Sure, my bones edges are well rounded up by flesh, but my waist is still thinner than my hips and chest. And my ass doesn't look too bad neither - I think. Alice even often said that it looks amazing when I am wearing tight fitting black jeans, as I in fact nearly always do.

Thinking about having to lose weights just makes me want to eat more to drown my sadness anyway. And I know I am not fat. I'm perfectly healthy weighted. I am not even overweighted according to charts.

_Hey, fuck it! I look amazing, and screw all the self-hating bastards who call me fat! I am not skin and bones, so you're jealous, aren't you? Because I've got hips and I've got breasts, and I am so nice to hug._

I _know_ I am not overweighted, I repeat to myself, trying to convince myself. Caius can think all that he wants, it will not change this medical fact.

I close my eyes, a day-dream forming in my mind's eye. I am leaning in my bed on some pillows propped up against the headboard, a book in my hands, reading. A man - my husband - comes in. He gently lays down next to me, taking care not to disturb me. His arms close around my waist, and he nuzzles his head against my side. One of his hands is rubbing my hip gently, the simple gesture conveying all the affection he feels for me.

I take a deep breath as I open my eyes again. I have had such day dreams since I was around ten-years-old I think. I used to think that it would happen later. Unlike my father, I would find someone who would love me and with whom I would spend all my life, I was so sure of it. Now, I am eighteen, and I know intellectually that I still have time to find love, but I have been doubting that for some time.

I never fell in love. I never felt that instant overwhelming attraction I once thought I would. Hell, I met my _soulmate_, and I still didn't feel it. I wasn't more attracted to him than to his brothers, and I know it is only lust after their god-like bodies, and not love.

Will my day-dreams ever become reality? Can they become real if I and Caius never end up together? And even more concerning : can they become real even if we do?

A knock on the door interrupts my musing.

"Anna, may I come in?" Bella's voice ask softly.

"Yes, sure!" I answer, turning around.

It is my gesture of folding my hands in front of my belly that make me feel so self-conscious. One day ago, I was so much more confident about how I look.

_Bastard._ If Caius ever comes around and try to get closer to me, I'm going to make him pay for making me doubt myself.

"If that mate of yours ever saw you like that, I doubt he would still refuse you," Bella gushes over me, coming closer. She takes my hands and pushes them away from my body. "You are sooo sexy, how did all the perfect genes end up in you?"

"Edward is currently in you room and he was spying on me, wasn't he?" I guess. I see no other reason as to why she would have come saying that.

"Maybe," she admits. "But you know I mean every word I said. You're beautiful sis'. Screw that - how did you call him? Blondie? Screw Blondie."

"Well, I also use bastard when I'm referring to him in my thoughts," I answer, laughing. "We will have to ask the girls to help finding a more suited name though, I don't like those well enough."

" 'kay. Just throw some clothes on, I'll go ask Charlie if we can go over to the res'."

"No, wait, no!" I call her. I am much more confident in my ability to convince him to let us go. First, I lived with him longer, second, I was the one who thought about calling him while we rushed to Seattle - that was a perfect example of Bella's lack of the ability to think everything through. If she's focused on something, she can't think about anything else and makes the dumbest of mistakes. Like yesterday evening.

My explanation four our trip is that it was a surprise from Leah to help cheering Bella up. When we came back home, Dad asked us about that trip. I said with an enthusiasm worthy of Aro Volturi that we met Alice at the airport once we landed in Florence. Leah and her had planned that trip together I said, because Alice misses us. We had a great time together in Italy, I said, before admitting that it was "girl" time and that I would love to go back to visit the country which we only got glimpses of. I'm smart like that, laying the foundation of an explanation in case we would need to leave Forks for some time - like in a few months for example.

And then, Bella nearly ruined it all by saying that she was sad we didn't meet Edward. It was risky for her to mention his name, because she is a shitty liar and it may have put attention to the fact that we could indeed have met him. And then, there is also Dad's great hatred for the guy who dared hurt one of his daughter. In order to make Dad relax, I had to shout and rant that Edward didn't deserve Bella and that she should get over him. I know way better than her how to speak to our protective Papa-bear.

I put my trademark black jeans on and a dark brown shirt embroidered with blue flowers on the hems of the collar and the sleeves and leave my room, Bella trailing behind.

When I walk into the living-room, I am in the process of gathering my hair with one hand, a scrunchy ready in the other. Dad flicks his eyes up from the telly and I go to great him, kissing his cheek, forgetting all about my attempts to pull up my hair. I like having it up when I go for the 'Anna's-interpretation-of-casual' look.

"Hey Dad, good morning! I slept in, I was so tired after all these last day excitement! Anyway, I was planning on spending some time with Leah and Emily today. Can I and Bella go?"

"Edward Cullen won't be there?" Dad asks, suspicious.

Oh Dad, if only you knew he spent the night here, watching Bella and spying on my thoughts... I used to find it creepy, but I guess I got used to it. Which is a good thing, because if I ever end up living with Caius, with Aro around I will have even less privacy than I have with Edward.

My mind goes blank for a few seconds. What the hell did that thought come from?

"Of course not! It will be a girl time," I promise. "Alice and Rosalie may show up, but that's all."

"Ah, that's fine."

"To be honest, knowing the guys, Sam's crew may show up," I admit.

"Jacob too?"

By that point, you probably noticed who is the most talkative person in our family.

"Probably Jacob too, yes." He isn't really from my circle, but he is Bella's friends and is a wolf now anyway so he hangs up around the others.

"Good guys that bunch. I like Sam."

Yes he does, because that awesome wolf was the one to find my sister.

"I love you Dad. See you tonight, we'll be back before nine pm!"

The best way to get someone to agree is to always add a concession. I'm sure Dad thinks I'm the most responsible and trustworthy daughter out there.

"Good," he nods.

I then take Bella by the hand to lead her out. I'll have all the time to make my ponytail while she drives us to the reservation with her trunk.

Unlike me, she knows how to drive. I was too scared to even try it out more than once, even less to take several lessons. Being behind the steering wheel freaks me out, and I'll punch anyone who would dare joke that it's true not only for cars but also for my life. I like making my own decisions and being in control, thank you very much.

Caius better never try to order me around.

... And I'm totally obsessed with that guy already,_ shit_.


	7. Chapter 7

Bella pulls the car to a stop as we near the treaty line. Alice and Rosalie are waiting there, speaking with Sam and Leah. Emily must be at home backing, as she always does when friends are to come over at her house. I will have to ask her if she ever leaves the place now that she is the wolves' cook. Which makes me think at the first thing I did which helped the Cullens and the pack get along better - I suggested to Carlisle that he offers to pay the food and cloths bills from the Quileutes. After all, "it is because of vampires that they need so much of it". That was the day the wolves opened to negotiations. Paul even congratulated me for being friends with the 'leeches', since it was so useful for the tribe!

An alliance between the Cullens and the wolves would make them even stronger as the Volturi, I muse. I wonder if they would make better rulers for the supernatural world. But I already have the project of trying to help them better mix with humans... I'd love to have Carlisle or Esme as president of the United States, for example. The others would run a charity, what it should be about I have yet to chose. Maybe several of those would be better. And I will have the vampires do some research to cure illnesses and make airplanes that don't emit carbon.

I totally want my vampires and wolves to rule over the world. And now that the Cullens are back, I can start planning again! I don't need to give up on that dream!

"Earth to Anna?" Leah is waving in front of my face.

"Hi Leah! Sorry, I just realized that I can go on thinking about those crazy schemes of mine now that all my pawns are back in my hand," I explain, doing my best to sound serious, before turning toward the others and greeting them too.

"Glad you accepted, Sam."

"Well, at first I thought I could stay and help Leah, you know, two against two..."

"And then Emily started listing all the things girls like speaking about, and he run away," Leah finishes, grinning.

Sam, her and the two vampires run behind the car, and soon we arrive at Emily's. She is standing on the porch, waiting to greet us, but none is surprised that she ends up hugging - or rather kissing - Sam first. When Bella and I come up to her, he is still telling her to call him if anything happens, etc.

"I heard that already," Leah complains. "I'm sure Emily knows your speech by heart now, it is the same every time."

Anyway, after half an hour, we finally manage to get rid of Sam and to settle down on blankets in the leaving room. We sit on the floor, leaning against the couches and walls in a circle. Rosalie, who only has problems with Bella since she surprisingly likes Leah quite a lot, is sitting next to the wolf and as far away as possible from my sister, which means they are face to face. Alice, I and Emily just don't care about who we are next to.

"So, Anna, tell us everything," starts Rosalie. "Alice and Edward said something happened, but they didn't mention anything more. I assume, if it is a subject better left for girl conversation, it cannot possibly be about Bella. Except if she is cheating on Edward."

After a few snickers and comments from several of us, Emily calls us back to order and looks at me expectantly, imitated by the others. Bella and Alice already know of course, but I guess they want to see how I will present it and, especially, how the others will react.

I focus on the two Quileute girls.

"You know that vampires have mates, which is something similar to imprints, yes?"

"You met your mate? That's amazing!" Emily exclaims, as Leah replies too.

"You're the mate of a leech? I had so much dreams and hopes for you, don't make me give up on them babe!"

"Leah, you are kidding I hope," Emily is quick to reprimand her.

"That's not all," I interrupt before we can get off track again. "He is one of the vampire kings, he is as hot as a male can be, but he is an idiot and a sadist who enjoys hurting people. Ah, and not only does he lack a few brain cells and always has this stupid frowning look of his face, but he behaves like a child. Oh, and he flat out refused me too."

"Pardon me?!" Rosalie is the first to cry out, outraged on my behalf. While the two Quileutes also react and ask Alice and Bella for more details, the blond vampire comes over to me.

"Always frowning, you mean Caius, right?"

"Yes, bastard-Blondie is my mate."

"No."

"What?" I ask, surprised at her reaction.

"You can't insult him by calling him Blondie," she explains. "That's already me, remember? And I wont have you criticize _anyone_ for having blond hair. Blond hair are amazing."

At those words, I try very hard not to think too much about - I fail. I just pictured myself running my hand through some silky nearly white blond hair. I can perfectly imagine half closed red milky eyes staring at me, before my gaze slips down a chiseled face to end up fixed on thin pink lips...

"And his definitely are not what I like the least about him," I agree quickly to distract myself from wherever those foolish thoughts of mine thought they were going. I soon add, nearly shouting to get the attention of the others : "Girls, I need your help! I need a nickname for that guy. I don't want to say his name ever again, he'll have to grovel _a lot_ if he ever wants to hear me pronounce it."

"If you keep that up for too long, you risk making him cum just by saying his name the first time you do," Emily warns.

I can't chose between being horrified or interested by this prospect, so I just gape at her, wondering if she experienced something similar. She was quite angry with Sam for some time after all, when he shifted to close to me. The scars still hurt, sometimes. But I don't blame him. I gained too much out of the accident to do so. It is what made the wolves like me.

Rosalie recovers first.

"I for one don't want that _thing_ to ever get that close to Anna."

"I want to," I admit. "I want to make him pay, and what power can I have over him but the love he may one day have for me?"

"You're scary, you know that?" Bella comments.

The conversation goes on and on. I talked at length about the two other kings and how sexy they are, expertly avoiding to give more details about what I think of their brother's appearance. We completely forgot about having to chose a nickname.

That night, when I fall asleep, I can't even bring myself to be ashamed of my thoughts as I slip into dreams wondering how _my_ vampire looks like without his clothes on. My obsession with him is clearly getting worse.


	8. Chapter 8

My last few days were hell. Victoria is preparing something, we can feel it, but she learned how to block Alice out. Since the redhead is taking no decisions - or worst, changing them all the time - our seer is useless. It is the wait, I believe, which is so hard on us. People die and disappear in the neighbor cities, and there is not much we can do about it. Seeking Victoria out while she is in the city is risking an open fight. She may have a death wish, calling upon the Volturi's attention like that, but we don't want to expose the supernatural world.

And still, even as reports of victims drained of their blood show up on a now daily basis in the news, nothing happens. There is no sign of the Volturi, though Carlisle revealed that by now they _should_ have sent several of their guards to take care of the matter. And Victoria is still bidding her time, still has to decide on the date she wants to strike us.

I sometimes wonder if it is because of me that the Volturi chose not to intervene, but Edward commented, maybe correctly, that all does not revolve around my little self. However, Bella shares the same fear as I do - though she includes herself as part of the reason of this inaction. Maybe they want us to die. Maybe they hope it will force the Cullens to change us. Maybe they want us to fight with all our might, thus revealing the power of our family's union with the Quileute pack. Or maybe, they want us to seek out Victoria to then be able to punish us for being sighted by humans, which is very likely to happen if we do go to Seattle.

For the last weeks, we have been training. Or they all have been but me. Bella is trying to see if she can use her power to shield others or even just to shield herself physically. Jasper is teaching the others and the wolves how to deal with newborns, in case building a newborn army is what Victoria is doing.

As to I, I first helped Bella, trying to encourage her. But she is making no progress, which could be because she simply cannot do what we hoped she could. Or maybe she needs to be a vampire to control her powers. Anyway, I am turning around, with nothing to do, and I *hate* it.

The worst is at night, when I have to fall asleep. My brain is overworking, keeping itself from shutting down. I have had such problems for time to time since I was a young girl, and it always makes me freak out irrationally. Which keeps me even more alert and awake.

And as a result, because of how tired I am, I am a walking zombie during the day. I fell asleep at school, which got me angry at myself because I find it humiliating and because I hate people seeing me sleep. And it doesn't even give me the rest I desperately need.

Today, Dad suggested I stay at home instead of going to High School, and I accepted. I am now sitting on my bed after eating a whole bar of chocolate, wondering if I will manage to fall asleep or not. Probably not, I can't get my head to just *stop* trying to fry it self thinking about it. I am so tired I can see flashes in front of my eyes, and I find myself longing for the days here I would just sit around blankly because I slept *too much* and therefore had no energy to be something else but a passive vegetable.

The thoughts brings me back to what Aro told me, which makes me think about the Volturi. Surprisingly, I first focus on the question of their lack of action in the Seattle slaughter, and it takes my brain long minutes to shift on the matter of Caius.

I wonder if him being present could help me get back to what I call my "normal" state, which is the positive joking hyperactive me which is aware of her surroundings and not imprisoned by her own thoughts as I currently am.

I have half a mind to ask Carlisle if he has a number or something to contact the Volturi. Not to ask for Caius of course, but to ask for guards to be sent to Seattle, hoping that it may make a certain king come along, but that I would never admit.

However, I'm not that desperate. My heart can call out to Caius all it wants, nor my mouth nor my actions shall ever do so.

Only thinking about my mate must have helped, for my brain manages to focus out of my thoughts onto the world around me as something slaps in Bella's room. I think it is the window that the wind and the rain must have pushed against the house wall.

I slowly lift myself off of my bed. Had I not been still more than half way deep in zombie mode, I might half thought this through a bit instead of simply going over to my twins room to take care of the windows she must have forgotten to close after Edward left this morning.

I open the door, and blink. There's someone in Bella's room. There is someone looking through her dirty laundry. There is a _boy_ looking through her dirty laundry.

And suddenly, my brains catches up and focuses back on the outside world.

_There's VAMPIRE in front of me!_ it shouts.

And since I've been standing there stupidly for five seconds at least, there is no way he hasn't noticed me. Hey, look, he even stares as me, holding one of Bella's cardigan against his chest!

I. Am. So. Fucked.


	9. Chapter 9

Guess what, I ended up in the hospital. Who ever crowned my sister queen of the accidents made a mistake I think. Or should have made twin-crowns. The official story is that I fell down some stairs.

What really happened is that I had no wolf guard, as they had assumed I would be at school at that hour, and a vampire, probably sent by Victoria, came in to take something with Bella's sent on it. It would enable vampires who never met her to track her down, my sister and I were told.

Thankfully, even though I wasn't protected because of the wolves absence, I was, because of said lack of protectors, in Alice's seeing range. She tried to call me to warn me, but I didn't hear the phone - a side effect from me being locked into my thoughts is that I get completely oblivious to the world around me. It fades away, as if it isn't real anymore.

Anyway, Alice told Edward, who is the fastest runner, and Edward came to my home just in time. I had already be thrown against a wall, and was bleeding profusely. My skin was torn in shreds by the vampire's claws-like fingers and, had Edward come a bit later, I may have died of blood loss. Yeah!

What didn't make any sense is that I should have, by all rules, be a ball of crushed bones. A vampire _jumped_ on me. But I only had a broken knee. It launched a whole debate among the Cullen about whereas I had a gift that had protected me or not. Am I nearly unbreakable? Am I extremely lucky? How is it that only my skin and flesh was so much damaged, on not my skeleton?

Big questions.

Anyway, I was at the hospital, and got stitches all over me and many bandages to go with it. Carlisle easily convinced my Dad to let me go live with them for some time, so I could rest and be watched by Esme all day long.

And she did. Between my broken knee and my fresh wounds, I couldn't move and had to stay either on the bed or on the couch. Esme would be at my side all the time, even when I slept, a mother like I have always dreamed of. One who would _care_ and, as selfish as it may sound, who would put all her things aside look after me when I am down.

We were in the guest bedroom I used during my stay, listening to some music and chatting, when he came.

The bell rang, and Esme turned off the music, very surprised. With Alice and the Cullen's vampire hearing, she never had a guest she did not knew was coming before they reached the door.

"It's okay, I can survive on my own for a few minutes," I told her.

She smiled and kissed my forehead before going down, closing the door behind her.

I could hear nothing for a while, not even hearing footsteps as she went down the stairs.

After some time, someone knocked of the door, and I said to come in. Esme opened, revealing herself, and our guest.

I had only met him once, but I could not possibly had forgotten him. I knew of only two males as beautiful as he was, and he and his brothers did each make a strong impression on me.

Marcus Volturi.

"Anna, you know Marcus? He is going to stay with us for a few days," Esme explained.

"Good Morning my king. I am afraid I am in no state to welcome you properly..." I said, my heart beating faster in my chest. My memories did not do him justice, which had a part in my excitement, as did my wondering about the reasons of his presence in Forks.

"There is no need, dear Anna. May I come in?"

"Of course!"

I watched with fascination as he walked forward, his long mantle flowing behind him with each of his steps. Gracious did not even begin to describe the beauty and absolute self control in his movements.

He sat down on the chair previously used by Esme and reached to me with one hand.

His cold palm settled on my cheek in a feather light touch, as my gaze lost itself in his face. His long wavy brown hair fell down over his shoulders in a silky curtain, and I found myself wanting to run my fingers through it. Was it as soft as it looked?

His eyes were the strange milky-red specific to the Volturi kings. However, they were neither flashing anger as Caius' did, nor were they shining with excitement, glee and laughter as Aro's did. He was calm, watchful, silent. And today, his boredom seemed a near forgotten memory.

"I was afraid you would die," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "My brothers and I sat together in our study when Caius' bond to you caught my attention. Beside mate bonds, which are made by fate, very few are created instantly. Quick changes in someone's bonds is therefore extremely rare, as they take time to grow or wither. I watched as, in front of my eyes, your mate bond faltered and nearly broke. It stayed like that for a few minutes and I knew you were dying, but there was nothing I could do."

He smiles then, his face becoming even more beautiful as his joy light it up.

"But fortunately, it stabilized again," he concludes.

The pure and truthful happiness he expresses as he says that is so Aro-like it makes me smile too. I hope the feelings he shows are genuine. Not because I want him to care for me, but because he seemed so sad, the first time we met. There is something about him that calls me in.

"I hope my question doesn't offend you, but why do you care?" I ask as tactfully as I manage, which is not much so excited I am by his presence.

Anger flashes through his eyes, but it is so quickly replaced by sadness that I wonder if I really saw it.

"I love my brother, I really do, but he is an idiot for refusing you. I told him you nearly died, but he didn't even blink!" Marcus exclaims, voice rising in outrage at the last sentence, and this time I know I didn't imagine his anger. As last time though, it doesn't last long, and soon he smiles softly again. Not in sadness though, but in what I can only liken to wonder.

"He swears that he doesn't want you, that Athenodora is all he desires. However, even he realizes that his love for her is weakening each time he wonders about you. That is how fate makes matches : once two people know they are destined for each other, they cannot help but think about what 'should be'."

"I noticed that," I admit. "This weird obsession I have for him is very disturbing."

"Some would say it is unhealthy to love someone or simply to be with someone while desiring another," Marcus whispers, taking his hand back from my cheek. Strangely, it is only as he does so that I start feeling cold where his skin touched mine.

"Could you ever forget your wife?" I ask, as careful with my phrasing as a charging bull. To my defense, his behavior is confusing me.

"No, never. For ever shall I wish she were still at my side," he states as a fact, with the authority of certainty.

"Can you even love someone else?" I push on.

"Maybe," Marcus admits, tilting his head to the side. "But I can never desire someone as much as I desire her, for I know that there is none but her who is made to be with me through eternity."

I have not known I had a mate for very long, but I already experienced enough to understand his words. I long for perfection, and I can only find perfection with Caius. With him only can I make a match made by fate. But some imperfect things can amazing too.

And I'm seriously starting to wonder if that is Marcus' way of flirting with me. Or if he wants to make Caius react by making him jealous.

"Marcus?"

"Yes?"

"You didn't say why you cared about me living or not. And I'm not stupid enough to believe you fell in love with me or something similar."

"I do not wish for my brother to feel as I do," the brown-haired king admits. "Someone has to take care of you, until he turns around."

"Do you hope to make him jealous?"

"Maybe I simply like that I can be assured you will never ask for something I cannot give you," he whispers.

Alright, he is flirting, and there is _nothing_ more arousing than someone beautiful and with a nice breath whispering in a soft voice.

The sadness underlining his tone, it gives me goosebumps. It turns me on, much more than Caius' anger does. Weird. As I look in Marcus eyes, I am certain that he thinks of Didyme while my own thoughts are full of a certain blond king.

He is right. If I ever end up with a man who isn't my mate, my thoughts and desires for Caius will always make me feel like someone horrible using my lover because I cannot have the one I want. But there is no using Marcus, there can only be between us an agreement where each perfectly understands the other.

"I don't want to create animosity between you three kings," I still protest.

"If it makes Caius come to his senses, his happiness will be worth any anger he would feel towards me." At these words, Marcus chuckles, probably thinking about his brother's famous anger. He doesn't seem very bothered at the idea of being a recipient of the blond king's glare-of-death.

"But I will let you think about it," he resumes, "and I will let_ him_ think about it too. But as I said, someone has to take care of you, and if that someone isn't him, it shall be me. I have been warned by Aro that you are very stubborn and prideful, even more so than Caius, so there is no solution but to wait for him to accept his mistake. There is no saying how long it will take."

I laugh at that, and force myself back to silence as the little shaking of my ribs is enough to make the broken skin on them sting.

I feel like there is some complicity between Marcus and I, one alike to the one he has with his brothers, if I may be so bold as to dare compare them. Maybe I am confusing daydreams and reality. Maybe Marcus does see me as someone alike to a little sister or young cousin to take care of. I certainly do hope we will become close friends and that I will learn to confide in him. His presence is soothing as nothing else is.


	10. Chapter 10

Marcus and I spent the day talking. Esme brought my lunch around midday, and we invited her to stay with us. All in all, it was one of the best days of my life, even if I spent it confined to the bed and nearly died in shame when I had to ask Esme to help me to the bathroom.

If saying in front of Marcus that I needed to got to the bathroom was awkward, it was nothing next to having to use it while knowing that he could perfectly here _everything_. I ended up letting water flow from the tap while I did what I had to, hoping that the Japanese way of bathroom privacy helps even with vampires.

Anyway, I survived, and I had a great day being surrounded by two people with eyes only for me. Being distracted helps a lot with not feeling pain.

Late afternoon, Carlisle came back, shortly before the others did - Bella with them of course. I had been carried down to the living room's couch (by Esme, I don't think my heart could have taken it if it was the super sexy king), and had a great time enjoying their surprise at seeing Marcus there.

"Did you see it?" Edward asked Alice.

"Of course!" She replied, pretending to be offended. Then, she smiled: "But I know how to hide things from you."

Now, they are all sitting around me in the various arm-chairs and chairs. Esme and Marcus are on the same sofa as I, the eldest woman of the room just having come back from washing the dishes Bella and I used for our dinner.

"I was told you look like a zombie that just wants to be put of his misery," Rosalie says to Marcus, making us all gasp in shock. She must have been thinking about it for quite a time and have been rather relaxed by the kings kindness to dare speak so bluntly to him. But Marcus only smiles.

"I will take that as a compliment, my dear, since you obviously do not agree with that description. Nevertheless, I have to admit that you will find it is most of the time more accurate than not, as little does still spark my interest. A few different matters have however caught my attention for the moment. One of them is sitting as my side, and an other is, if my guess is correct, threatening you."

"So you did hear about the Seattle slaughter," Carlisle says, concern in his tone.

"I did. My brothers, unfortunately, did not judge the matter as requiring immediate action. To my shame, I should say, I decided to betray their trust by forcing their hand."

Edward snorts.

"You should say, but it would not be true. I am sure Jasper can feel the smugness that fills your thoughts."

"Which is why there is no reason for me to hide my intentions. Tell me more about Seattle. Aro said young Bella mentioned a certain Victoria being after her and her sister, in one of dear Alice's memories."

Not for the first time, he casually mentions having learned something thanks to Aro's gift. More and more, I have to wonder if he is the mastermind behind the Volturi. He is extremely smart, which was more than obvious several times throughout the day, and clearly has Aro's trust and probably ears. Could it be that Aro is being manipulated by Marcus and doesn't realize it, even with the help of his gift?

Alice suddenly freezes in a vision, catching our attention as it is obviously a long one she didn't scanned the future for. Could it be that Victoria finally made a decision?

"We have incoming," Alice says as her eyes see us again. Her smirk though clearly indicates that it is not something we should feel threatened by.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asks her, but Edward is faster as he spins towards Marcus in awe and disbelief.

"You left Volterra without warning anyone?"

"Well, I did say I chose to force my brothers' hand in the Seattle matter, didn't I?" The king replies regally, lifting an eye-brow. "I believe they would have to send guards after me, for my protection of course."

"Or to make sure you don't create havoc," Emmett grins.

"Well, that too," Marcus smiles softly.

"Alice saw that Caius is coming. He wont let you order the guards to help," Edward comments.

From the corner of my eye I can see Bella massage her neck, and I wink at her. It does start hurting after a while of following the ping-pong match the vampires are playing. I feel like sitting in theater, so entertaining they were during the whole meeting. Jasper and Esme also seem to enjoy the show, though they are much less obvious about it that my twin and I.

"This is all planned for," Marcus assures us. "Now we wait, and than you watch. I didn't enjoy myself that much in the last ten centuries," he adds, chuckling.

He definitely is a better actor than Aro, I decide. If I hadn't turn towards Jasper at that exact moment, I wouldn't have seen the empath lift an eyebrow slightly. Edward doesn't comment. Would that be betraying Marcus trust that to take Bella with me and question the family's mind reader or the king's thoughts?

"You're sure you are not Aro's hidden twin sister?" Edward suddenly says, staring at me. "Believe me, you really don't want to know how much your thoughts are similar to his. You enjoy manipulating people and making plans to rule over the world way too much."

"I just want Carlisle or Esme to become president of the United States!" I reply, feigning hurt that he thinks that about me. I think my thoughts entertain him more than they scare him, for he never commented on them before.

Well, I_ did_ manage to lay one of the final stone on the Cullen/Quileute alliance. With all the training for Victoria and Bella and I's protection, the pack and the vampires became quite the working buddies. The words 'leech' and 'mutt' can still be heard at every meeting, but they are only said in friendly banter now.

The Cullens and Marcus are still chuckling at my plans for the futures and making comments about it (Emmett, Rosalie and Alice seem curiously to like my goal) when a rushing car can be heard coming closer.

"Vampires," Bella sights softly in the silence that fell on the room, making me nod. Does breaking traffic regulations make them feel better in their skin or something? Seriously, even sweet Esme drives too fast!

Carlisle is at the door and opens it before any Volturi can come crashing through, but Marcus times his time to stand up as Caius enters, completely ignoring the Cullen coven leader.

Oh my. That's quite a sight. My mate is fuming, even more so than last time I saw him. I wouldn't be surprised if steam came out of his ears. He is ridiculous, really. And so beautiful. His platinum hair is falling freely around his head, brushing against the top of his shoulders and framing his chiseled face. His eyes are throwing daggers, and his pink lips are lifted up into sneer, fortunately for me. Somehow, I know that if he wasn't so stupid looking, I would have filled the air with a very _feminine_ scent. Someone here looks in dire need of a good fuck to release some steam. He's sure his wife is all that he needs?

"Marcus, may I know what you're doing here?" spits my mate, coming to a close halt in front of his impassive brother. Thanks heaven vampires don't have saliva, I would have died of second-hand embarrassment otherwise. _Caius, babe, control yourself!_

I really should calm down before I start squealing in delight at the show in front of me. I already was on some sort of sugar-high before my mate came in, now... it is worse. Much, much worse. You can probably tell.

"I came to see how young Anna is fairing, didn't I tell you three days ago that she nearly died?"

That has Caius turning towards me, the anger in his glare melting into pure hate.

"Is the human nothing but trouble? Had she been turned, she would be fine. The Cullens are getting what they deserve fro they delays! Should we kill the two humans, since they obviously are not to follow our orders?"

"We well be changed at the end of the year," I answer, my giddiness having turned into disdain. "You know, so that people _won't ask questions_ about our disappearance. We thought that some _events_ in Seattle may already have brought the spotlight on the supernatural world, and that we shouldn't add to it."

I really must be stupid to not fear the cruel kings of the Volturi. I certainly did not expect his reaction. Before Esme at my side can move, Caius launches forward to slap me. With vampire strength.


	11. Chapter 11

Faster than my human eyes can follow, the scene in front of me changes, to freeze into the cutest of picture. Which is quite disturbing for an onlooker really, considering the main actors are two of the very-feared three Volturi leaders.

Marcus must have caught Caius as he sprang and pulled him back, for he is holding him against his chest, in what is probably supposed to be a restricting gesture. From the outside though, with his calm face and Caius who stop sneering to press his lips thin in resigned annoyance, the brown-hair king looks like a proud husband holding his wife, or a mother holding her child as she discusses with friends.

I want nothing more at the moment to stand up and walk to my mate, to run a finger on his mouth, trying to get his pink lips to part. Could I make him smile or laugh? Would I like it if I succeeded? At my greatest surprise, even if I still find Caius quite ridiculous and annoying, his immature petulance and his quick temper are amusing me, like an inside joke. Does that mean that Caius made my view about love and about who is worthy of respect change, or is it only the bond twisting me to push me toward my mate? Did I grow up, or am I manipulated into feeling and acting out of character?

A day-dream springs up in my mind. I can see Caius and I together in a bedroom, and me pushing him down on the bed before straddling him. I bend forward, kissing his lift softly, making him moan, then straight back up to observe him, to run my fingers on his black shirt and open the buttons, one after the other, revealing his hard and pale perfect cold skin. In his eyes, dark with pleasure, there is fascination, and respect. In my heart, there is nothing but love.

Can I love someone whom I do not respect, or will I learn to respect him?

There is so much I don't know about him. Maybe he is much more than I think him to be. After all, as I wondered during a certain meeting in Volterra: why do Marcus and Aro bother with him? He has no power, so that cannot be the reason. And I doubt it is only genuine brotherly affection. How close are they anyway?

Maybe Marcus and Aro feel like equals. Is Caius like their little brother? Or do they see him as an equal? Because of Marcus frequent casual mentioning of Aro, and the way he took the blond Volturi king in his arms, the captive not fighting, I am reconsidering my first idea. Could they genuinely love each other in a friendship strong as very few are? Or are they manipulating each other? This last option seems much more likely than the other.

"..., Anna, Anna, Anna, Anna, ..."

Wait, is someone saying my name?

I blink, and realize that Marcus and Caius are now sitting on chairs the Cullens freed, and the guards left.

"Aha, here she is!" Bella exclaims, stopping her little chant. I really should learn to focus. Whenever I get caught up in my musing, I forget that things can happen around me. I hope I wasn't out long and didn't miss anything of importance.

"What happened?" I ask my sister, ignoring all the others.

"Marcus got beautifully scolded for irresponsible behavior," Bella answers, repressing an obvious snicker. Shit, I missed something fun it seems.

Ooohhh... And I missed listening and observing my mate. Did he say something smart while I wasn't listening? Did I lose an opportunity to discover that I am even more pleased by fate's choice that I currently am? Because let's be honest: I am happy with having Caius. He is gorgeous, and he is powerful. And I must be a really bad person to not care about him being nice or not.

"ANNA!"

"You just destroyed the vampire's eardrums, Bella," I comment impassively, pretending I didn't phase out again.

"Count aloud to ten."

"What?"

"Stop thinking, and _act_. You're a pink blue dotted elephant."

What the... Oh right. Bella's just so good at it, confusing the hell out of me to stop my thought process.

I turn to look at my mate, trying to focus on what is happening. He is ignoring me. Typical. Thankfully, his brother isn't as boring.

"Caius?"

_"Marcuuus?"_ I reply silently in my mate's stead. But apparently he's not _that_ immature.

"Yes?"

"Do you want Anna? Is she yours?"

What? Did my brain short-circuited when Bella brought me back to attention? Nothing seems to make sense.

"No, the human is not mine, nor will it ever be," Caius answers patiently, to my surprise. So he too must have gotten used to his brother, to not even try to rush Marcus to speak out his mind.

Wait. Did he call me it?! My sleepiness and bubbly state leave me at once. I straighten my back, glaring at my mate. Well, not glaring at he always does, more like looking at in disbelief. I am high above him that I his actions cannot bother me.

_Yeah, keep telling you that. With all your new scars, your torso and arms are swelled up everywhere, even more so than your back already were. Forget about him finding him fat. There's no way he finds you attractive now._

Who turned the bitchy commentator mode on?

"So, if she isn't yours and doesn't belong to anyone, can I have her?"

Marcus flirted with me, and I know he saw the scars on my arms. He looked at me several time as a man looks at a women. Why is he not my mate again?

_Because you love challenges. And since you met him, complaining about Caius has become your favorite hobby. Admit it, you love that._

Ah, the voice of reason. I like her. But the simple fact I'm speaking to myself shows how tired I am. Good that Caius takes his time answering his brother's question.

"Why lower yourself as such?" He finally asks. "But yes, you may have the human if you want."

"Thank you."

Did I just change ownership? Tired me snorts in amusement at the sheer stupidity of what happened._ I belong to no one but myself. I never was yours to give babe, and I will not be yours neither, Marcus._

"I don't like the idea of people destroying what is mine."

Caius sights as my brain tries to understand what happens. - Wait. Is that Marcus plan to get Caius to accept acting against Victoria?

"It wouldn't do good to be lenient. It may prompt others to also act outside their rights."

"Neither Aro nor I deny that!" Ah, here's angry Caius.

"I think we could take care of the Seattle problem tonight, if the Cullens would help us," Marcus continues, his voice as flat as can be.

"We would gladly offer our assistance," Carlisle replies.

I cut in before any other can speak.

"And I will go to sleep, so as not to bother you. Bella will stay with me, we'll be fine. Carlisle, you have Sam's number."

I stand up slowly, the scarred skin on my back protesting at the strain of the movements. Honestly, with all the pain I go through even doing nothing, just laying, this is not going to stop me from walking. Even my knee wont. I spoke with the authority of a Queen, I'm damn happy about it, and I'm going to leave without help.

I am half up the stairs, limping but surprisingly steady on my two legs, when a thought crosses my mind. Would I care about the way I talk or leave if Caius wasn't there? Am I seriously trying to impress him - or at least trying to show him I'm not so bad as he thinks I am?

Thankfully I'm not Bella, and the realization doesn't make me lose my balance. I kept climbing up, until I arrived in my bedroom, closed the door, a turned towards the bed. Which, if Caius were to stay in it with me, was small he would have to hold me in his arms. I know perfectly want I want my mind to picture once asleep.

Or not. Damn enhanced smelling. After what happened last time, I have no doubt either a Cullen will stay or a wolf will come to watch over Bella and I.

Caius, could you please be the one to stand guard tonight?

Probably not. You're a fighter.

Ah, well, a girl can dream.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, a cold hand brushes my cheek, waking me up. I turn around, wondering sleepily which vampire is there, and why. I discover Marcus sitting on the edge of the mattress. He smiles softly at me, a hint of sadness in the gesture, as always.

"Good morning my king," I murmur as I stare up at him, enjoying the beautiful sight that greets me today. In the semi-darkness, Marcus looks even more like the king of old that he is.

"So respectful," he chuckles, placing a strand of my hair behind my ear. I can feel tingles wherever his cold fingertips trailed on my skin, and it isn't because of their temperature.

_I want to wake up like this every morning._

Being cared about is the nicest of feelings, I decide then and there. He meant what he said yesterday more than I then understood. _"Someone has to take care of you, and if that someone isn't him, it shall be me."_ His wife must have been the happiest woman. I don't want anything less for myself. Unfortunately, I doubt Caius is capable of such tenderness.

"You will be pleased to know that Victoria and her army were dealt with, and that none of us or the Cullens were hurt. The wolves are a little distraught that they didn't get to play a part in this though."

One night. It is all it took for the Volturi to dispose of what has been plaguing Bella and I for months. How powerful are they? Did Marcus fight too? I know from yesterday that he is fast, extremely so, even for a vampire.

"The wolves?" I repeat. I didn't think yesterday about how they would react to the presence of the red-eyes vampires.

"Their alpha and Caius are growling at each other in the garden at this very moment."

Well, today will not be boring.

"I need a few minutes, I'll come down afterwards," I say.

"Do you need help?"

Do I want someone as sexy and sweet as Marcus to help me shower and dress up? _Hell yes._

"No, I'll manage, but thanks for the offer," I answer however.

"I'll be waiting for you outside you bedroom then."

After ten minutes of what Bella would call my human time, I come out of my room hoping that Sam and Caius didn't kill each other yet.

Marcus, as promised, is waiting for me. He smiles approvingly at my outfit as he looks me over. I am wearing a black dress - trousers are too tight and to difficult for me to put on for the moment. My dress has no sleeves, and the scars of my arms are displayed for any eyes to see, as are the two picking out of my cleavage. I only have bandages on the worst of my wounds now, the ones which needed stitches. I heal pretty fast for a human.

"Few people are as comfortable with their body as you are," Marcus observes.

"I had time to get used to the scars," I reply, shrugging the praise off.

"You have been gravely injured before?" he inquires, while carefully lifting me up, bride style.

"Once, I had an accident running into a bear," I say out of habit. I don't blame Sam, and I don't want others to. Especially not the gorgeous vampire who is carrying me out to the garden. My mate better starts making some effort because I _will_ choose his brother over him if it he goes on.

When we arrive in the garden, the Volturi are facing the wolves, the Cullens and Bella as spectators. Sam and Caius are in the middle, glaring daggers at each other. The Alpha has his hands on his hips, making the strong muscles of this naked and tonned torso stand out even more. He is all strength and confidence. My mate, as for him, is the picture of arrogant disdain and anger. He doesn't look as menacing as Sam does, even with a haughty sneer on his face and with his body vibrating aggressively. I feel like cheering for Sam. He is awesome.

However, Marcus and I's arrival puts a short stop to the happening fight. I can feel all stares on me as the brown-haired king lowers me to the ground. Some growls can be heard, mostly from the shape-shifter side. They all are in wolf form, but for Sam, Jacob, Jared and Leah, the four with the most control. My girl is the first to react.

"The leech certainly did not miss you."

"He is dead now," Marcus interjects, satisfaction in his voice. "My dear Anna is an undefeated fighter."

"She certainly never will let a leech get the best of her," Leah agrees. "How do you feel?"

"Ready for battle. What is happening here?" I love how confident I just sounded. I'm amazing sometimes. Really Caius, you should learn from me.

"Pale face here is all for killing us. I think he's scared of wolves." Good heaven, I love Leah. Caius hisses in anger through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, he's like that. He's got confidence issues I think, killing people makes him feel more in control."

This time, Caius snaps.

"Marcus!" he growls. "Control the human. It needs to be taught to respect its betters."

A reply by-passes my brain to become words directly on my tongue. It comes out of my voice in exaggerated softness.

"Oh, sweetheart, I know it can get confusing, learning a new language, but you need to work on your English. We don't have genders for nouns as Italian does, but we do have pronouns to distinguish between men and women."

"I am aware of that!" Caius snarls. "But unlike you, apparently, I have been taught that animals are to be referred by 'it', if they are not of sentimental value to the speaker."

_Fuck_. I should have thought it through before replying.

Ah, -wait.

"Indeed, you are right," I answer. "However, in the presence of the owner of the animal, it is usual not to refer to it by 'it' or with, out of respect for said owner's feelings. Surely, you didn't mean to offend Marcus. So the use of the pronoun 'it' _was_ inaccurate."

I am quite pleased by my response when an idea strikes me.

"Are you speaking with an _animal_?" I exclaim in mock disbelief. Do you really feel that lonely?"

Not that I have anything against people speaking to animals, I do so myself, but even if Caius were aware of that, he couldn't use it against me. Animals do communicate with each other.

I just rendered the blond Volturi ruler speechless. He is staring at me wordlessly, trembling in a very good imitation of a near shifting wolf. I notice then that Marcus stepped closer to me at some point in a clear protective gesture.

Jared and Jacob snickers turn into full laughs and Caius spins towards them, his anger increased tenfold by his humiliation.

Probably so as to divert his brother's attention from the wolves, Marcus addresses me in a clear voice, speaking above his usual near whisper.

"That is quite enough, my dear," he admonishes me. I turn to look up at him, and he goes on. "Or I will have to make you close that cheeky mouth of yours."

I am a way too horny girl and Marcus is too sexy and his tone way too soft for me to feel threaten. My heart rhythm picks up though, and I instinctively part my lips to ease my breathing.

Marcus underlines the side of my face with a finger, and grasps my chin softly, making me tip my head back. And then, his lips touch mine, light as feathers, in my very first mouth-to-mouth kiss.


	13. Chapter 13

My mind has never been clearer, my awareness never as high. I am aware of Marcus lips moving gently against mine. They are soft, their skin silky and cold. The kiss is therefor all the more sweet and pleasant. It is such perfection, I cannot imagine how a human one can be enjoyable. Who would want to kiss sweat and saliva? Marcus certainly doesn't seem to mind about my humanity, but it may be because I just cold showered and brushed my teeth.

Not knowing what to do with my hands, but not wishing to simply let them hang at my side, I lay one on Marcus' elbow and the other on his shoulder. He steps slightly closer to me.

The kiss, in itself, is certainly pleasant. However, the embrace of Marcus lips alone wouldn't be enough to create such a feeling of perfection. It isn't so much better as nice hug. What makes all the difference, is that it _is_ a kiss. Because of the meaning such an action has, my heart is beating fast in excitement, tingles run through my body. _Marcus is kissing me_ is what has me so giddy and what makes me feel so good, in a way a simple _divine lips are brushing mine_ never would.

Beside the kiss, competing with it in requesting my attention, is my awareness of my surroundings. Caius, of course, takes a place in my mind, some part of me wonders how different kissing him would be, but in this moment, he is only a background thought.

I would like to focus on the kiss, my very first kiss, the one I was told I would never forget, but I cannot help but think about all the people around us. I do not care about what they think about the fact Marcus and I are kissing, I am single, I can like whoever I want, no matter what fate decided, but I do care about how it looks. I want us to be beautiful, I want us to move with elegance, I want, through this one action, to inspire others. I want warmth to flood Marcus, and I want the onlookers to wish for themselves what we are sharing right now. I want to be envied.

As my thoughts drift in this direction, I start wanting _Caius_ to envy Marcus. I want him to wish he were the one to kiss me. I want him to _suffer_ from seeing me with an other, I want him to wonder in horror if I could live without him.

I know I should focus on enjoying the kiss, I really do, but I find myself unable to only do so. The kiss, it isn't about me, or at least I feel like it isn't. Marcus may be enjoying it, but it isn't desire that prompted him nor the wish to make me feel good, I am sure of this. He is at least as manipulative as Aro, I gathered so much from my observations of him - if I am not simply over-thinking everything. But I have the strong belief that his action at the present movements were carefully planned. It is his motives I am not so sure about. To make Caius react? Or are they more complex than that?

"Leah, what was that?" Edward asks suddenly, the noise cutting through the timeless moment, breaking the bubble we were in.

Marcus releases my chin, and I take my hands back to my side, being careful to brush his arms as I do so, so as not to seem uncomfortable or unsure of my self. I never want to kiss someone in front of other people again, I decide there and then. The amount of self control I want to display in a public setting isn't compatible with the passion I would like in a kiss. To keep myself cold-headed is _hard_, and I didn't enjoy the kiss enough.

_Then ask Marcus for an other attempt later._

I will have to. I don't want to stay on a failure - for it is how I feel, like I _failed_ this kiss, if it even means anything? It makes sense to me at least.

"Two things, golden boy," Leah says, making me turn toward her in an effort to finish leaving the bubble that the kiss created. "First, keep out of my head. Second, to use one of Anna's two favorite words, what the hell do you mean?"

Marcus, surprisingly, is the one who saves Edward from having to answer.

"Your favorite words?" he asks.

I narrow my eyes at him, wondering about his intervention, but answer his question.

"I tend to use the words hell and heaven rather often. I try not to swear, and it is the alternative that works the best for me. I like interjections too much to give up on them."

"All this may be very interesting to you," Caius interrupts, snarling, "but I have better things to do than stay in this ridiculous town. If we could talk, Marcus?" To my shame, his sharp voice startled me, and I hope no one saw it.

"Why so hasty?" the brown-haired king replies, his slow unconcerned tone making me relax and smile in amusement. "I for one would like to learn some more about the shape-shifters, and Aro may find it very interesting too. Carlisle living here is a further reason to stay. Our brother would be curious to know how his life-style and his opinions changed with the years."

"I do not need to hear more about animal blood versus human one!" Caius cries out. "I have had my share of this idiocy when Carlisle was in Volterra and after the idiotic Cullen's suicide attempt. And we are needed in Italy."

"Am I?" Marcus responded. "Surely, I can be allowed to stay here for a few weeks. There are a few interesting things in this town, and you know little can still entertain me."

"A few interesting things," Caius repeats, eyes flashing in cold anger.

"Well, I for one find them so, although you apparently do not agree with me. Please, I would very much like to stay. And you can still go back to Volterra, if you want," the eldest kings begs. At those words, my mate's face morphs into an expression of pure rage, leaving me confused. What did Marcus say to anger him so? I do not understand the intensity of the blond vampire's reaction and his sudden wrath, so much stronger than the one he usually displays.

"Leaving you here alone?" Caius growls, surprisingly cold and controlled, an unsaid threat in his words. For once, he doesn't seem laughable. For once, even I find him intimidating, frightening even.

Carlisle, ever the peace-maker, speaks up courageously before the conversation gets too much out of hand.

"You are all very welcome to stay if you wish so," he offers in that soft voice of his. The contrast with my mate's tone is such that I feel myself melting, and I smile soflty. The Cullen patriarch is a true treasure.

"It seems we will," the blond king answers, still glaring hatefully at his brother.

Seriously, what is his problem? Did I miss something?


	14. Chapter 14

Carlisle, Esme, Marcus and Caius went back inside the house to discuss the details of the Volturi's stay and call Aro. That is how I found myself surrounded by very curious shape-shifters and Cullen children.

"Marcus kissed you!" Alice exclaims, visibly very excited about that fact.

"Angry-face is your mate, isn't he?" Leah asks.

"You're into blood-suckers now? What is this with Swans and leeches?" Paul complains.

"Did Leah say the blond king is your mate?" Sam wants to clarify.

"My little one has two kings in her pocket, isn't she awesome?" Emmett says proudly, putting an arm around my shoulders as he pushes the others away from me to give me place.

"Why didn't you tell me about this? - Bella.

I can feel a headache forming. I try to step back, only to find myself blocked by Emmett's arm. Could they please calm down? And do they realize that the four inside the house can probably hear every single word? I take a deep breath.

"Shut up!" I shout. I wince as the scars on my torso protest at the sudden strain but go on, this time at a normal volume as the voices die down. "First, C-" I interrupt myself as I realize I was going to say his name. "The blond was supposed to be my mate, yes, but basically we each feel way better very far from each other, as you may have noticed."

"You were a total badass," Paul interrupts. "The little human girl showing it up the big bad leech king. What kind of animal are you anyway?"

"Wolf, why do you even ask?" I reply immediately. I found wolves awesome even before learning about shape-shifters. "But I was going to say something else, if you don't mind?"

As no one speaks quickly enough to interrupt me this time, I go on.

"I would really love to answer all your questions and it has been some time since I last went to La Push - a couple days, can you imagine it! - but there are few more pressing matters I would like to attend to. However, I'm all for a meeting this evening if you want, and I'll ask Marcus - you know, the very attractive, kind and sexy king - if he wants to come too, since I think he was interested in knowing more about you? Sam, what do you think?"

"I think I'll have to tell the elders about a grill on the beach tonight," he answers.

Perfect! Next, having a conversation with Edward. I'm going to sort this out, without my brain exploding if possible. When I thought this morning that the day wouldn't be boring, I certainly did not expect _that_. I need time to process the onslaught of emotions, but most of all, I want to satisfy my curiosity. I want to know _everything_ that happened this morning. I'll deal with tonight afterwards. About that, I hope Marcus will come. It is a good opportunity for him to get to know the tribe, and I'm sure he is the best candidate for presenting the Volturi in a good light to the elders.

"Bella," I ask, "would you and Edward kindly give me a ride?"

Being in a car with music on is the best way to ensure that supernaturals beings can't listen in, and I need Bella to convince Edward to give me all the juicy details. I want _more_, much more than what he told me after the meeting in Volterra.

"Yes Mam' we will!" Bella answers. She takes a resigned Edward my the arm and drags him toward the garage.

"I want to know too," Alice whines at me, her sparkling eyes betraying her. I pat her arm.

"You will, you will. With your gift, you probably can listen in to most of the conversation, and I'll answer all questions tonight, I promise!"

I exchange some more words with the gathered supernatural creatures, but soon Edward's silver Volvo stops in front of the house. I climb in, sitting down in the back of the car.

"You know," my twin's boyfriend says as he drives away and turns some classical music on, "most people spend all their life without once being able to know the thoughts of others, and they deal very well with it."

"You're one to talk," I snort.

"I can tell you a little," he offers, "but the Volturi's thoughts are not yours to know."

"Because they are yours? I thought they were Aro's," I grumble.

Bella thankfully steps in before an argument can break out.

"Edward," she says, "can you imagine what Anna is going through? She is lost, and desperately wants to find her way in this mess. She is Caius' mate, and he doesn't want her, but Marcus does."

"That's wrong."

"But he did kiss her..." Bella says, uncertain.

"It isn't as simple, and it isn't what was wrong in you statement," Edward sights. "Marcus genuinely wants her to be with Caius, so that his brother will not know the pain that comes with the loss of a mate. However, he is indeed also attracted by Anna, whom he thinks to be worthy to rule at his and his brother's side, thanks to what Aro told him about her."

"Can I please have time to process this?" I ask. "No, wait, I first need to know: what did Aro think about me after reading your thoughts?"

"Do you remember me saying that your thoughts are alike to his?"

"Yes," I answer, annoyed by how he doesn't go straight to the point.

"He agrees with me, and the respect you have for him and Marcus pleases him greatly. He is curious about your gift."

"So he likes me?"

"As much as a self-centered vampire can, I guess. Were you to die he will find it a pity, but he will not mourn you. His only concern is Alice's vision, he doesn't want to have to get rid of Caius. His brothers are more important than anything else to him, but his own power and the Volturi's control over the vampire world."

"So they genuinely like each other?"

"I don't know for sure," Edward admits. "Caius has a great respect for Marcus and cares about him, that is a certainty. But I don't trust the thoughts I can get from Marcus and Aro. They give the word manipulative a whole new meaning, and could be fooling me."

So Caius is the genuine one, who would have known, I muse. He certainly doesn't seem to be smart enough and to have enough control over himself to be such a mastermind like his brothers are. Does it mean that his actions, unlike his brothers', are always what they seem to be? Does he always mean what he says?

And Marcus, does what Edward just said change anything about how I feel about him? No, I decide. I already suspected what my twin's boyfriend confirmed.

So it only leaves...

"If Marcus wants me, than it has to be an other part of Bella's statement that is false. There is no doubt that Caius is my mate, I know it, and if it wasn't the case, he would have denied it. The only other part of Bella's statement is that Caius doesn't want me. It is wrong?"

My heart is beating fast as I ask the question. I want to know, I_ need_ to know. I am sure I understood what Edward meant, and it raises hope in me, that Caius may one day be mine. If he _wants_ me, if he gives in to me, I _will_ have him fall.

And I really should remember not to say Caius' name. Angry-face is a good nickname, the blond king works too. And for one shorter... its'mate? Oh, I actually like that one.

"He doesn't know anymore."


	15. Chapter 15

_He doesn't know anymore._

Edward refused to say anything more, surprisingly even resisting Bella's 'charms' as she pressured him to reveal further informations.

_He doesn't know anymore._

I suddenly feel strength and confidence explode in my chest and flow through my veins, every ounce of doubt leaving me.

_He doesn't know anymore._

He lost his balance. One push, and he could fall in the right direction. One push.

Confidence. Strength.

I knock.

"You can enter, Anna," Marcus' deep but soft voice welcomes me.

I open the door of Carlisle's office to find my favorite vampire king sitting on a chair, a small lazy smile on his face as he sees me. The blond one is there too, leaning on the desk, arms crossed and a annoyed frown on his face.

"You can also leave," Caius says, his tone full of malice.

_He doesn't know anymore. Well, let's give him a reason to be even more confused._

"Thank you," I say to him, smiling. He did address me for the second time, instead of simply telling Marcus about me disturbing him.

I look away from my mate to address his brother, thus unfortunately unable to see his reaction.

"My king, may we talk in private?"

Marcus chuckles as he stands up and walks to me.

"Always so polite," he whispers, caressing my cheek with the back of one finger. "I am no king, my dear."

"I know, but you may as well be one," I reply.

Confidence, and strength.

Marcus takes one steps back as he lowers his hand and tips his head slightly.

"I am afraid, dear Anna, that my brother here will not allow me to leave. He is afraid that, were I to go out of hearing range, some troubles would find me, and I would end up in danger. Caius takes my protection very seriously, all of a sudden."

I turn then toward the blond king who is watching us with pursed lips.

"You have not left the castle in centuries, I am even surprised you know what a car is," my mate retorts.

"About that, why do vampire drive so fast?" I question him.

"Why do humans always believe themselves worth to be losing time on?"

Calm, and confidence.

"I shall not disturb you then," I tell him, taking care to smile gently at him once more.

The calm slips away slightly.

I came here with one desire: to get Marcus somewhere with at least the illusion of privacy, and kiss him again. That I simultaneously try to confuse Caius into revealing more about him is simply a welcome coincidence. Will he try to keep me and Marcus always under surveillance, to make sure we don't kiss again? Will he be nicer or angrier if I am civil with him and friendly with his brother? Can I make him believe that I want Marcus over him?

Excitement as I never felt it before burns with anticipation and curiosity through my chest, my arms and my palms. They tingle not too unpleasantly, and crave cold and smooth vampire skin. I would love Marcus to intertwine his fingers with mine or to caress my arms, my back, my hips, or my breasts, why not... I wish to feel desired and to see want in my mate's eyes.

I could ask Marcus to go with me to my bedroom - _not to do_ that_, stupid imagination of mine!_, or I could ignore Caius, go to the brown-haired king, get on my tip-toes, and kiss him.

Confidence disappears.

_And risk being pushed away?_ A voice in my mind reminds me. _And would Caius' presence not go against your "not in public anymore" rule?_

_Is it weird that I actually want him to see?_ Being kissed for the first time must have messed with my brain, for I find myself wishing to play with the kings, wishing to excite Caius _by making out with his brother._

_Sweet heaven, I am totally losing it._

No, I am not. Determination and confidence.

"There will be a grill and a bonfire in La Push tonight," I say. "The elders of the tribe look forward to meeting you. And I was told to remind you that hunting in the neighborhood is prohibited."

"We will not need to feed before going back to Volterra," Marcus assures me. "I have to admit, I am surprised by the Quileutes willingness to talk with vampires."

"They learned to enjoy the idea of a supernatural world with whom to share their secret," I explain.

Strength. Power. Confidence. Satisfaction.

The transformation first was a burden for Sam, one the elders couldn't really help him with. Only with them and Emily could he share his secret, and then with the others who joined his pack. But before that, before Quil and Embry changed, before Jared and Paul did, Sam was alone. Even now, he is one of the few responsible for guiding a pack of young hormonal boys, and it is hard on him. I have been helping him since the beginning, along with the elders and later Emily and Leah, once the two forgave him for imprinting on the wrong cousin and for hurting me.

Then, Bella fell in love with Edward, and I became a friend of the Cullens. I helped Carlisle to renew his offer of peace and friendship with the wolves, and some common ground were found. And then, there was Victoria, and the wolves and vampires started working together, and they enjoyed it. They liked having a wider circle with whom to share inside jocks about the supernatural world.

But the tipping point was reached with the discovery of me being a vampire's mate. Imprints are sacred to the shape-shifters, and I have been considered a part of the pack since a long time. Billy's friendship with my dad always made him an honorary uncle for me, and me "protecting" Emily earned me the elders' welcome as a friend and ward of the pack.

Satisfaction. Confidence.

Slowly, step by step, I am taking over the super natural world. And no one realizes it, beside maybe Edward, Aro and maybe Marcus. Or maybe others do, but don't care about it.

I _am_ worthy to rule ate the Volturi side. I will be the one to soften their hand and to hide iron under velvet. Where they are ruling with fear, I will make them rule by having their subjects' adore them.

Cullens, shape-shifter and Volturi, together they can take over the world. And _heaven_, I want it.

Determination.

I smile. And my eyes meet Marcus' darkened ones. I look further to the left. There is no hint of milky red in Caius' eyes neither. They are as black as Aro's hair.

_Jasper, you and I, we totally nailed it!_


	16. Chapter 16

My heart is beating loudly, enough for me to feel my pulse pounding in my chest and in my head. The satisfaction and the excitement of victory rush through me, and I know this time that it comes more from me than from Jasper's gift. I am so giddy I feel light headed and a laugh tries to escape my closed lips.

Honestly? I feel like I think Aro does. The... _power_ I am holding in my hands at this very moment, it is exhilarating. And Caius and Marcus can sense it, this power, as Leah suggested they may, and they _love _it, it seems.

Calm and confidence. Calm.

"Will you escort me tonight, then, Marcus?" I ask.

-Wait. That wasn't the verb I wanted to use! I will have to talk with Jasper about toning down the confidence a bit if we continue working together.

"It will be my pleasure to escort you, my dear," Marcus murmurs, a slight purr in his voice.

Or not. Confidence is amazing. It wields incredible results.

Jealousy and anger as I never felt them before crash on me for half a second before disappearing completely. Calm and confidence again. Did Jasper just show me Caius' emotions?

Were I not encased in the empath's power, I would have burst with glee with this second confirmation that I succeeded in making Caius desire me.

I do not need Edward's help, I decide there and then. Jasper - his gift is much more better for my "secret missions". I don't need to hear rational thoughts if I can know about those of the heart. And that Jasper can make me _feel_ the feelings instead of just telling me about it...

_Thank you so much, Leah and Alice. You are the best. And Jasper too, of course._

I understand why the empath didn't show me what I saw in the vampire's eyes - what I still can see in fact. Just from the intensity of their glaze, the purr in Marcus' voice, I know I would have stumbled under so much emotions. But I know I will ask Jasper to make me feel them someday.

Knowing someone loves or desires or admires you is _nowhere _near_ feeling_ it. When you know, you still doubt it sometimes. But when you can feel it, there is no doubt left. Be it only for that, Jasper's gift is priceless: it enables you to know how much you're loved. It makes you stronger.

And as we just saw, his powers can also be used to help someone pushing out a side of them that would normally be hidden. If I ever am to rule at the Volturi's side, I want Jasper to be at my side, helping me as he did today. Be it because this me I wished I were not only in my thoughts but also in real life seems to be exactly what Marcus and Caius like.

I have no doubt my fantasy for the next year at least is going to involve me turning Caius on by making out with his brother in front of him.

_Can you imagine being with the three kings?_

That.. That would be amazing.

_You know you're supposed to be Caius' right?_

_Who says it isn't rather that he is meant to be mine? And maybe the three kings are meant to be friends who are as close as brothers? Maybe they are meant to share Caius' mate?_

I wonder how my apparently very jealous mate would react to that. Would he be jealous if he was included?

"You are not to go without the guard and me," Caius tells his brother. "I will not trust the Cullens or - the gods forbid, the shape-shifters - with your safety."

Calm and confidence increase again in me as Jasper gets me ready to talk, if needed. Or it is me. I will have to ask him.

"You can come too," I address the blond king, reminding myself no to say his name. "But it would be better if the guards remain here. It would be more polite, towards our hosts."

"If it must be so," Caius readily accepts, to my surprise. Either he is very confident in his abilities and believes he will indeed make the difference, or he simply wanted to come and searched for reasons too - probably so he could keep on eye on Marcus and I?

"Then it is settle," I say, turning to Marcus.

He is still close to me, watching me, but his eyes are slightly clearer.

Messing with his emotions using Jasper's power is out of question. First, he would notice it. Second, I would very much like to keep this new way of "improving" my competences a secret between Leah, Alice, Jasper and I - the only four who know. Of course, Aro and Edward will learn about it at some point or another, but they don't count.

So, I do the one thing I can do, I move towards him, and give into my wishes. I put one hand behind his neck and one on his upper-arm to steady me, and I raise on my tip-toes, kissing his lift softly.

_Iiiiiii_ makes an extremely giddy part of me, thankfully well locked away by my both my will and Jasper's influence.

Dear heaven, I doubt I would have done that without the extra confidence. Or is it? It could also simply be me, acting less shy because of the lingering doubt about my emotions being controlled or not.

Anyway, being this straightforward is very abnormal to me. Marcus doesn't seem to mind though.

As I step back after half a second kissing him - I didn't plan on doing more than that, he catches my waist and pulls me back into him.

Again, he trails his fingers on the side on my face before catching my chin and lowering his lips on mine.

And this time, the kiss is _perfect_. Even though it doesn't take long before we are interrupted.

Someone apparently is getting annoyed, because a feet hitting the ground repetitively can soon be heard. I chuckle softly in Marcus mouth, and brush my lips a last time against his before turning around, still in his arms.

"You should be careful with you timing, its'mate, one could almost believe you are jealous of your brother."

"Its'mate?" Caius questions, fuming as he stares down at me.

From the brown-haired king's embrace, I answer him:

"I am not very good at nick-names. But you did say I am an 'it' and you are my mate - so you are 'its mate'."

Marcus grips tighten slightly around me as Caius' eyes turn a shade darker.

"You are very possessive about something you don't have, human."

"Possessive?" I repeat, lifting my eyebrows. I am totally unable to move only one of them, to my great disappointment. "I don't think so. I do not need to be afraid of anyone taking you from me."

I tip my head to the side, smiling, before adding:

"I have no doubt that you will soon want to be mine and will give yourself to me. Once it happens, _you_ will be the one fighting to stay in my possession - once you fought to make _me_ accept you that is."

It is then that I feel it, strongly, for a portion of a second, as Caius' eyes turn black again. But it is enough to make me stumble, only Marcus' arms holding me.

Excitement, curiosity, anticipation, and _desire_.

"You are so full of yourself, human," Caius says, his tone warning.

I only smile, and disentangle myself from Marcus' embrace, placing a quick kiss on his cheek.

"See you later this evening," I murmur, before walking to the door.

I am half out when I turn around, and look straight back to Caius.

"I have every reasons to be."

I close the door behind me, wishing I could teleport myself. I would love to go far away to scream out in victory.

Team JALA 1, Caius 0.


	17. Chapter 17

I have no time to ponder where I should go now as Alice and Jasper are waiting for me outside of the door of Carlisle's office where I just left the two Volturi rulers, or as I like to refer to them, the two kings.

"Anna!" the always overexcited vampire cries out, "Anna, we _have_ to go over to Leah's to get ready for tonight!"

"Alice, it is a bonfire, not a ball! And we just came back from the reservation," I reply, amused. Edward had brought me there so I could spend some time with Leah, and Alice and Jasper joined us around 10am. It was while Leah and I ate lunch that the four of us had the great idea we just put into effect. It was mostly us three girls joking around, until Jasper intervened when I said I wished I were more confident. And so, we started scheming and planning, and we won the first battle.

"I know that! But it is not _any_ bonfire, it is your first date, you silly girl! You wouldn't want your clothes to be anything less from perfect, wouldn't you?"

I barely have time to wonder how Caius and Marcus took the news of this being my first date, especially considering that it strongly suggests that today morning's kiss was my first one too, that a wave of emotions crashes of me.

Contentment, glee, and some hint of concern and pity.

Calm and confidence for half a second.

Jealousy, anger, regret. Some more regret. Some more jealousy. Ardent jealousy. Annoyance. Determination.

Calm. Absolute calm.

I turn to Jasper, nodding my head. Why did I never notice how amazing he is? Not only is he kind and he never gets in the way, but he is the most helpful of all Cullens. A - ma - zing. I need him as a minion.

...

I mean as a friend. I need him as a friend. Forced calm and irrepressible giddiness mix very strangely inside of me it seems. It gives me a very sociopathic sense of humor.

I have two choices. I can tell Jasper to tune his power down a bit, or I can go on like this.

_And risk losing you personality just to seduce the kings?_

_But who am I anyway? Am I the more confident me, the one I am in my thoughts, or am I the unsure girl I usually act like?_

I keep my thoughts to myself for the rest of the afternoon as the newly formed JALA team meets again. Jasper stopped using his power on me once we left the house, and I feel drained and more than a little confused. Every emotions I now have are mine, but I can't understand them anymore. I already sometimes felt detached from my own feelings, as if they were linked to my body, and my soul could 'see' them influence my actions without being affected, but is it now much, much worse.

I am floating in a bubble in an endless night sky, and my feelings are turning around me in an angry sea. I contemplate them, sometimes some brush my skin, but they do not enter me. They are foreign. Far away.

I always wondered if I had a psychological condition, with me sometimes feeling separated from by body, as if I was something inhabiting it, but it wasn't really _me_. I think it is what makes me to space out when I lose contact with the real world.

Anyway, whatever thing is wrong about me, it seems to be getting worse.

_Or not. Maybe it is freeing your true self._

I don't know. I am so confused.

It is with great anticipation that I jump out of the car as Alice and Jasper bring me back to their house so we can take Caius and Marcus with us. Edward and Bella will drive together, and the other will run there.

I want to enjoy this evening, and I want to stop thinking. I know Marcus can make me laugh and can steel all my attention, and I look forward to getting caught in the now moment.

"You are gorgeous, my dear," Marcus greets me, already in front of the porch with Caius, ready to go.

"You are stealing my word!" I protest. "How am I to describe you, now?"

As always, he looks amazing, but he changed the mantle he had when he arrived in Forks for a black cloak with tiny silver embroidery on the hem. He wears black suit trousers ans shoes, and a black shirt embroidered with rubies red motives with golden buttons. How anyone could think him human for one second is a complete mystery to me. Everything about him screams 'supernatural'. He is too elegant, too beautiful, too perfect.

Not that Caius isn't. My mate wears similar clothes to his brother's, but has jeans on and high black leather boots. His milky red eyes and pale blond hair stand out wonderfully on his outfit. He is truly magnificent, and looks every bit the dangerous vampire king he is.

But for his frown.

I want to scream in frustration. Why waste such a perfect, desirable, totally fuckable, lustful thoughts inducing body with such a stupid facial expression?

I glare at him.

He glares back at me.

I break out in laughter and still giggle uncontrollably as I go back into the car, Jasper on one side and Marcus on the other. Caius goes to sit in the front, sulking.

Confusion. Doubt. Self-consciousness. Annoyance. Doubt. Discomfort.

Those emotions flash in me quickly, and I take Jasper's hand in mine to press it in thanks.

Poor Caius, probably thinking something is wrong with how he dressed up...

I snicker some more.

I asked Jasper shortly after we left Leah's to not use his powers to help me tonight, but of course to still show me important or interesting emotions from the two kings. I want to see how well I do without the extra boost of calm and confidence. I want to prove myself that I don't need it, that I already have it somewhere inside of me. Well, my amount of confidence didn't fail me in the one minute since the beginning of the evening, but I certainly lack calm.

Or maybe I don't? My laughter set apart, I'm fine.

"I am sorry, it has already been a very charged day," I say once my giggles stopped.

Marcus, who took my hand in his and has been tracing pattern on the back of it with one thumb, press it gently, smiling softly to me as I look up at him.

"Are you tired?" He asks, somehow managing to have mirth dancing in his eyes while still having them look sad and slightly empty. Weird.

"I do not think my body is," I answer truthfully. "And as to my mind, it can take more excitement, I have no doubt about it. I will have the night to process everything, and until then I will be perfectly fine. Which is great, since I believe that a lot more interesting things are going to happen tonight."

Alice giggles in the front, confusing me slightly as I know she can not see the bonfire because of the wolves' presence. Everything that depends directly on a shape-shifter's decision is a blind spot for her. Does that mean that things will also happen when we will come back from the reservation?

And why did I just picture Marcus accompanying me back into my bedroom?

_Please don't let me reek of lust, please don't let me reek of lust... _I chant silently.

I totally want the ending I just imagined for tonight. Or even better : the same, but with Caius there too.

Desire and jealousy.

Calm, marking a pause before the next 'message'.

Glee, satisfaction and eager anticipation.

Oops...


	18. Chapter 18

_**Previously : **_

_*Please don't let me reek of lust, please don't let me reek of lust...* I chant silently. _

_I totally want the ending I just imagined for tonight. Or even better: the same, but with Caius there too. _

_Desire and jealousy. _

_Calm, marking a pause before the next 'message'. _

_Glee, satisfaction and eager anticipation. _

_Oops..._

* * *

"Alice, both you and I have spent too much time with Leah today."

The best way to avoid mortification is to pretend to be totally cool about what happened to make one feel self-conscious. Either joke about it, or assume it. Since I praise myself for being able to speak about sex with friends without feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable, I decide I might as well learn to do the same in the kings' presence. Desire is natural, one should not be ashamed of it.

_Hear, hear... Easier to say than to live by._

_But men prefer innocent women..._

Who the hell let this stupid voice inside my head? It is perfectly fine for a woman to feel confident and in tune with herself!

_It reminds me of two kings who got very turned on by confidence and power..._

I wonder what they see and like in me.

"Why do you say so?" Alice answers, playing along.

"Hmm... Maybe because my brain is starting to assimilate your giggles with some things we talked about today?"

This makes Alice laugh more, probably as she too thinks back about the great debate Leah, she and I had about threesomes. Let's just sum it up by saying that we each have very different views about them, even if we share a common curiosity. I, who a few months ago wouldn't even have thought of being with two different men in my life, least of all at the same time, have seen my fantasies change _a lot _since a certain meeting - but most of all since yesterday morning. I can barely believe that Marcus came in Forks less than thirty-six hours ago, so much happened since then.

"I perfectly remember, but we should refrain from talking about it again. I am sure Jasper is still traumatized," Alice says, making it my turn to laugh. Jasper did pretend to be very uncomfortable this afternoon. But even if he doesn't speak about sex as Paul does, he still has no problem hearing about it. He just keeps to his usual discrete listening self.

I look down to my lap as I feel Marcus' hands gently turning mine. With one index, he draws paths from the skin of my wrist to my fingertips, brushing my palm lightly. The sensation is surprisingly pleasant and create tingles that slowly spread to my whole body. I am curious as to how it would feel like, if he did this on my shoulders, on my back, on my belly, on my hips, on my thighs, on my bum, on my breast...

"Is my sent less, or more obvious than a vampire's darkening eyes?" I ask, trying to joke about it. I need to focus on something else than Marcus' divine touch or I will end up doing something stupid. Pretending that I am not embarrassed by me reaction is the best solution I can think about.

For humans, the idea of being able to smell someone's intimate fluids while not indulging in sexual activities is very disturbing, and I wonder if that is also the case for vampires, who must catch those smells on others rather often. This morning, the kings' lust was difficult to miss, showing plainly in their dark eyes. Isn't it the same, in some way, as the

fragrance of desire?

"More," Caius grumbles very eloquently.

"Your scent, my dear, is very pleasant," Marcus replies, ignoring his brother's sulking. "You need not to worry yourself about it," he says, a purr in voice, "and I shall spend the evening wondering if it is me you are thinking about."

"I am more thinking about your fingers right now," I admit, before my dirty minds decides to reinterpret my thoughts. Eeeeeppp... My cheeks feel very warm suddenly.

_But I am thinking about you too. You are welcome to imagine what scenes featuring you my mind is busying itself with ._

But I am far from being confident enough and comfortable enough to say such a thing to Marcus.

"Do you like the way I am touching you?" the brown-haired king whispers, still half purring as he addresses me.

"I am, it is very pleasant," I answer truthfully, excitement and adrenaline coursing through me.

Should I ask him if he could sometimes rub my hips the way I have always dreamed about when picturing a lover expressing their affection?

"Could the two of you please just SHUT UP!" Caius orders, screaming the two last words his voice pulsing with anger.

Jealousy. Jealousy. Anger. Desire. Regret. Anger.

Calm.

It seems like somebody isn't enjoying seeing their mate with someone else. Well, he shouldn't have dismissed me when we met. He shouldn't have asked for my sister and I's death. And he really shouldn't have judged me fat.

_I am not desperate enough to run to you, sweetheart. If you want me, try to win me over_.

It is crazy how much more confident one can feel when they know someone is attracted by them. Marcus wants me, and just because of that, it seems to me as if I am getting stronger and more independent.

Soon, we arrive at the beach, and Alice stops the car. Marcus releases my hand and goes out first, before turning around and helping me out.

"What a gentleman," I murmur, smiling in thanks to him.

"Once upon a time, men were respectful towards women of high standing," Caius comments at his brother's side.

I am reminded of my self when I was still living with my mother. Sometimes, when Bella wasn't there, I would just try to stick to some people in my class and follow them around like a lost puppy. My mate is supposed to be here, protecting Marcus, but he doesn't seem much more at his place than I did back in Phoenix.

Jasper soon confirms my intuition.

Envy. Discomfort. And... homesickness?

Being a very nice girl always ready to reach out to help someone in need - or a manipulative opportunist bitch, take your pick - I extend the hand that isn't resting on Marcus' elbow, and take Caius'.

A flash of surprise, happiness, and anger at one's own reaction.

Calm washing the message away.

Amusement. Brotherly affection.

Calm again.

I feel all gleeful and invincible as I walk toward the bonfire, a king on each arm.


	19. Chapter 19

"Good evening Quil, good evening Billy," I greet them, a tightening pang in my chest. The first time I saw them after Harry's death, which was shortly before going to Volterra, I had started crying while greeting them. It had always been Quil, Harry and Billy, and with one of the missing, I realized the world would never be the same again. Someone, who should have been there, wasn't.

I release the two kings and move to embrace one elder, and then the next. They may not have abnormally hot bodies as their charges do, but being in the elder's arms always filled me with great warmth. I would never admit it to my parents, but ever since I was around seven years old, I wished that one of the elders was my dad, or in Old Quil's case, my granddad. I do not know kinder of more fatherly people.

"Good evening, my child," Old Quil says, smiling warmly at me as I pull back from him, and he holds me a arm length to watch me over. "It is nice to see you walking. Weren't you meant to stay in bed for a few more days?"

"I heal really fast, apparently," I answer.

"Which isn't a bad thing, considering the magnet to danger you and your sister are!" Billy cuts in, steeling me from Quil's hold to hug me too. "In any case, we already have someone who cannot walk - said person is great enough not to need a replacement!" He grins, gesturing to his wheel chair with one hand as he releases me.

Then, he frowns at the two men standing close behind me.

"You better not harm her, or you _will_ have an angry pack of wolves out for your hide!"

"We wouldn't dare do anything that could displease her, let alone hurt her!" Marcus exclaims in the liveliest tone I have ever hear him use. "Anna is a true treasure."

"Good that you realized that," Billy approves before turning to Caius, a threatening glint in his eyes. "And what about you?"

Caius stares back at the Quileute, without saying a word. The elder glares back at him. Nothing is said for a while.

"I'm waiting for you to speak, vampire," Billy snarls.

"Vampires do not have hide," the blond kings finally answers, making his brother sighs loudly.

"No, you have diamonds," Billy growls.

Caius doesn't answer. I look at him in disbelief. What is he trying to achieve? I am very tempted to grab him and shake him a bit to wake him up.

"Ca - Its mate?" I correct myself as I call him. The blond king turns to me, his bright milky eyes focusing on my.

_Fuck_. Just the attentive way he looks at me makes me feel as if my flesh was burning up. He is _intense_.

I clear my throat, but do not know what to say.

"Could you please at least make an effort?" I end up begging him.

"We aren't made out of diamonds. Tearing vampires apart wouldn't emit a sound close to screeching metal if we were," My mate says to me very seriously. His face isn't angry as it usually is. It is simply blank. Totally and utterly devoid of emotions.

Once again, I find myself speechless. I feel like my brain came to an abrupt halt. Why is Caius feeling so obtuse?

It is my turn to sigh, and I turn toward Billy and Old Quil who are still staring the blond king down.

"Please ignore him. He isn't the most social person," I attempt to justify Caius' behavior even as if confuses me too. "He is my imprint. He will not hurt me. And even if he did try to, Marcus wouldn't let him." My words feel strange in my mouths as I do not even know whether what I am saying is complete crap or not.

"Just ignore my brother, we all do."

Billy and Old Quil exchange a meaningful look and turn back to Marcus.

"We take it you are Marcus?" the eldest man asks.

"Yes, I am. My name is Marcus Volturi, and here is my brother, Caius. It is a pleasure to meet you. Anna cares for you deeply."

"She is the sweetest girl," Old Quil answers.

Annoyance. Annoyance. Boredom. Awkwardness. Annoyance. Great wish to rip someone's throat out.

Calm.

"If you are going to speak about me, I shall leave you to it!" I interrupt quickly as Marcus is starting to answer. "Have fun, the three of you!"

I take Caius' hand in mine and drag him away towards a free spot in the circle of chairs. To my relief, he follows easily.

Once we sit down, I find myself very reluctant to let go of his hand, and I decide to keep it between mine, even if my fingers are starting to feel cold. Vampire skin, though nearly unbreakable and very hard, is surprisingly soft.

I clear my throat.

"You do not enjoy speaking with strangers I guess?"

"Well, he certainly had no trouble this morning," Paul comments as the entire pack it seems is coming closer, carrying their chairs to settle around us.

"I find refraining from speaking easier than being polite," Caius answers, his voice smooth and his tone rather superior. "And it is a rather efficient way to make my brothers leave me out of all the talking, scheming and friends making."

Several wolves laugh at that, and I stare at my mate as he engages in a conversation with the gathered pack members. All are smiling, some of them even laughing as they all agree that action is far less boring than talking and that talking should be left to others.

Caius, _Caius_, is charming the shape-shifters, while Marcus is making friends with the elders. No one will ever make me believe that this wasn't carefully planed. The wolves are gathering around the blond-king as if they were young children delighted that an older one pays them attention.

My gaze meets Sam and Leah's, who also are looking at the scene in disbelief. They wave me over.

I press Caius' hand slightly, smiling to him.

"I won't be far away, I'm just going over to speak with Leah and Sam," I explain quietly.

My mate stares deeply in my eyes, making me rather uncomfortable, and then nods before turning back to his eager audience.

I stand up and walk to my friends, noticing as I do so that my sister and the Cullens are with Sue Clearwater, Emily, Kim, Jared and Jacob, talking as they prepare the food.

"Your kings are damn good at all this," Leah says as I settle next to her.

"They had thousands of years to practice."

"The big question is: at the end of the night, who will have played whom?" Sam finishes.


	20. Chapter 20

Bonfires with the pack are always ... _something_. Between the wolves who each eat like twelve and the elders who always have something to say, the evenings always are very interesting and funny. There is no tension, just enjoying the night and speaking and listening. I love bonfires. And though I prepared myself for it to be different tonight, it surprisingly wasn't.

The main difference laid in the fact that I had a _date _and that my mate, who wasn't said date, surprised me greatly with how well he got along with the wolves he had been shouting at this morning only.

I spent most of the evening with Sam and Leah, until Marcus and then the elders and the Cullens joined us. While Caius was amazing the younger (and less mature) wolves with fascinating tales of the past, my half of the gathered people talk about supernatural politics.

I think it was the first time people realized I was being serious with my grand plan for the tribe and the Cullens.

"Vampires do not sleep, and have an incredible memory. You spend your life going back to High School, when you could be doing research to help the world! And you could also be trying to find out a way to look more human, to blend in better. Have your ever thought of bringing Thermos filled with blood at school so that it would seem you are eating? Have you tried sun-cream to keep your skin from sparkling?"

Marcus, all the while, was sitting next to me, caressing my hand and smiling at me when I looked at him. He sometimes offered his input, sometimes commented about the Volturi position or ability to help.

Even though nothing precised was decided, all agreed that the Volturi and Cullens should try to play a bigger role in the world, who had a lot to offer. As to the pack, they were happy with only watching over Forks and keeping to themselves mostly, but Sam and the elders agreed that they could learn from the Volturi, and help them back. No one promised nothing though, and is seemed to me as if each was only trying to study the field to see if common grounds could be found.

Ah, it wasn't that bad. It would give me more time to discretely convince them about my ideas. I _will_ have either Carlisle or Esme as president of the United States! And I will also have the Volturi becoming again the patron of the arts. They should hide their nature, but not themselves. Currently, they are wasting their potential.

"Still thinking about the bonfire, my dear?" Marcus asks me as we are driving back to the Cullen's.

"I'm still unsure I understood all what was happening," I admit. "C- your brother and you planned everything ahead, yes? You three kings are always playing a role."

"Are you really planning never to use my name?" Caius asked from the passenger seat.

"I am, little mate. Now, do not try to change the subject. I know for a fact you hated this evening, or at least its beginning."

"Is it me that you call little?" Caius growled.

"Yes, it is you. You are like a child. Just this evening for example, you decided to avoid the adults' tasks and talks." _And you were really uncomfortable, and were really happy for me to take your hand._

Anger. Annoyance.

Calm.

"Either you are very stupid, or you have a death wish," my mate said, his voice freezing. "At time you are passable, but you cross too many boundaries. You have no respect."

"I do not fear you, and you do not like that.

"Think you know everything?" Caius snarls, this time turning around in his seat to glare at me. "And you should fear me. Where it not for Marcus, you would be dead."

Me and being tired sometimes doesn't mix up well. It is the case now, as I speak without thinking, without really being aware of what is happening. I am in auto pilot, while my thoughts are drifting away._ Something is wrong, _my mind keeps repeating.

I know I will not fall asleep easily tonight. I never can when I am in such a state, so tired that my thoughts do not make any sense.

_Something is wrong._

_Shut up._

_There is something we have to know. Something isn't right. It doesn't add up._

I hate it when my unconscious does that, giving me feelings without letting me know what my brain was working on. Intuition is exactly that. It is the product of a reflection that happened in the back of the mind. My intuition isn't very good though. It always always believe in the worst case scenario.

_Something is wrong._

"Anna, my dear, are you alright?" I blink as I turn to look at Marcus.

"Yes, I am, sorry, I spaced out."

I nibble my lower lip as I look at him. I will not be able to fall asleep easily, I already gathered that.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" I whisper, immediately feeling ashamed. What a way to show off my strength, begging for someone to keep watch of me! At my age, I am expected to be able to sleep alone.

But there is something I always dreamed of when thinking about having a lover. I wanted someone to take care of me, to give me tenderness, to help me during troubled nights.

"I will be honored to do so," the brown-haired king replies.

With Alice's extremely fast driving, we soon arrive, and Marcus picks me out of the car, cradling me in his arms. Caius is eerily silent, surprisingly not complaining or trying to interfere.

My mate's brother carries me to my bedroom, and I go hide in the bathroom for my human minutes, still letting water out of the tap to cover the noises. This makes me wonder about the smell, and also about how a human body keeps making noises also during the day. I know that hearing someone sighting or chewing can get on my nerves, I dare not imagine what it can be like for a vampire. Do they never dream of silence? And how can either Edward of Marcus find a human attractive? Even I prefer vampires above my own kind.

I come back into my bedroom wearing a silky pajama Alice bought me. It is modest and comfortable, but still outlines my breasts nicely. I love it.

"You are beautiful, my dear," Marcus murmurs as he lifts the blankets for me to lay down on the bed.

"Thank you," I say, settling for the night. The kings smiles, putting down the blankets over me and laying down at my side, facing me. I turn to him and run a finger along the strong line of his jaw. Soft lips find mine in the sweetest embrace.

"Now, you should sleep I believe," Marcus whispers, purring slightly as he backs away a little.

"I am too alert to fall asleep," I explain. "It always happens to me when I am tired."

And then, he smiles, pulling me to him through the blankets, lowering them slightly to free my upper body.

"I can help you relax," he murmurs.

"Gladly," I answer, as discretely as he is. I wonder if it is to give us the illusion of privacy, or if the other vampires of the house really cannot here us when we speak so lowly.

His lips find mine again as his hands come to touch my waist through the thin fabric of my shirt. Slowly one finds its way up, to my breasts, and the other moves to my back, ending on my butt.

"Just relax," Marcus whispers.

Under his careful attention, it doesn't take me long to close my eyes and to fall asleep, feeling better and warmer than I did in years.


	21. Chapter 21

The door of my bedroom opens, and very light footsteps can be heard coming closer to my bed.

"Her heartbeat, is it normal?" a soft voice whispers. I have no troubles recognizing the voice, even in the depth of my sleep. Caius. I have never heard him speak as gently, but his tone of voice is unmistakable. It is light, slightly high-pitched and flows easily, as if his throat was always softened with honey.

"It was also very slow last night, so I would think it is a common occurrence. Since Carlisle doesn't seem to worry, she must be alright."

Marcus is laying on top of the blankets on my left, where he also was when I fell asleep. I am, in fact, still partially in his arms, pillows and bed sheets between us so as to protect me from his cold temperature without taking me away from his embrace.

The mattress moves as someone sits down carefully on my right side.

"It is frightening though. It sounds as if she were dying."

"Would you mourn her if she did?"

The bed moves once more as Caius gets more comfortable. I can hear him exhale an unneeded breath.

"I do not know. I love Dora, I have for nearly all my life. It isn't right to let anything come between us."

"Even fate?"

"You may see a bond between her and I, Marcus, but I do not. I see a week and impertinent woman, neither beautiful nor ugly, and a little too plump. If I didn't knew she was my mate, she would have been a human among others. If our gazes had never met..."

They fall silent for a time.

I shudder as the blankets are lifted from my body. Or I would have, if I was able to. I cannot move. I am probably still too much asleep. After all, the vampires didn't notice I am conscious, so I must not be wholly awake. In fact, I feel like caught in a thick haze.

A hand brushes against my side, underlining the curve of my tight, my hip, my waist and my breasts.

"Look at her, my brother," Marcus murmurs. "She may not be able to compete with Athenodora, but her curves are very lovely. Doesn't she fills out perfectly? Isn't she quite the sight?"

"You like her." It wasn't a question.

The vampire at my left hums softly.

"She fits very well in my arms."

Silence again, for a few minutes.

"When I am with her, the pain of Didyme's death lessens. It becomes bearable."

Marcus words bring out a great sadness in me, one that constricts my chest. Although I feel like crying, tears do not even gather in my eyes. But a shuddering breath escapes me.

The blankets are soon laid back over me.

"She could become your wife, she doesn't need to be mine. I do not want her. I have Dora. And this human ... _annoys_ me." Caius snarls this last sentence in his usual hateful tone, though he is still whispering at barely audible level.

"But Caius," Marcus chuckles softly, "everyone does, even Aro and I. Only Athenodora never gets on your nerves."

"Doesn't this show how perfect she is for me? Why isn't she my mate?" Caius complains.

Silence again.

"What did you think about yesterday?" Marcus finally asks.

"I already spent hours on the phone with Aro, telling him of every single little thing that happened," Caius grumbles.

"I am not asking for details, I was there," Marcus reassures his brother soothingly. "I only want your feeling about the evening."

"The young wolves are idiots, the old human from the tribe are smarter, but they are too week to be trouble. The Cullens are too passive to be a serious danger, but we already knew that. All of them were easy to manipulate. I am rather confident I managed to fool the empath too, though I am not sure since he keeps his emotions well hidden. The stupid mind reader didn't get anything."

"So he does not know Ancient Egyptian. It is good to know."

"I wouldn't have come here if there was any risk we would be understood," Caius snorts. "I have pride and an image to maintain. You are the kind and loving brother."

"Anna did pick up on that," Marcus reminds his brother. "She knows not to trust what she sees of us."

"She doesn't know anything. She only thinks, and I am sure that even if she was not fooled as the others were, she did not grasp half of what was happening."

"Shortly before you arrived, the mind-reader said that she thinks in a similar way as Aro does."

This actually made Caius chuckle.

"Then he underestimated Aro. In my darkest mood I do not get as heartless as he is."

"Aro knows what he wants, and never will let anything get in the way," Marcus agrees softly.

"You two are not as bad as I feared you might me. You nearly make the loss of Dora and I's privacy worth it."

"I didn't realize there was something you and your wife were trying to keep secret, or a least discrete," Marcus said, a quiet laugh still shaking his voice.

"You are barely better," Caius retorts, his tone light too. "Before I went to call Aro, I could hear you and Anna."

"She didn't even moan aloud!" The most reserved kings exclaimed, still whispering very lowly though.

"Her heart was beating fast enough, and she still has the smell of her excitement over her."

The conversation goes on a bit in hushed whispers, but my sleepiness gets heavier, and I slip away from my half-awake state, falling back into sleep. Or maybe the whole scene was just a dream. As I open my eyes in the morning to find Marcus alone at my side, I am not sure anymore.


	22. Chapter 22

"Good morning, dear one," Marcus murmurs as I shift between his arms. He and I are alone in my bedroom, us both still lying together like we did when I fell asleep the day prior.

"Good morning," I answer, smiling with happiness at the sight of the vampire king. He stayed the night with me, protected me and hold me through my sleep. I do not think he has any idea how much this means to me. Bella and I share our fear of being alone while unconscious but unlike her, I didn't have my Edward until now.

Edward. He can hear my thought. If what I heard last night was a secret, how can I keep it hidden? Should I? And anyway, it did feel real, but was it really?

"Did you stay here the whole night?" I ask Marcus.

"I did. Watching over you is very peaceful," he admits in that soft slightly sad voice of his.

_When I am with her, the pain of Didyme's death lessens. It becomes bearable._

I heard this in my sleep tonight. A simple dream, an intuition induced dream, or overhearing, I do not know what is was, but everything I heard is clear in my memory, clearer than anything else I ever remembered. What I saw tonight hasn't be dulled by the time that went. It is frozen in my mind, like an eternal part of the present that will never slip into the past.

_Her heart beat, is it normal?_

I can play over in my head every single sentence that was said, and as I do so, I realize how beautiful Caius' voice is, rich with so many nuances.

_So he does not know Ancient Egyptian. It is good to know._

Marcus' voice, deep but so soft in his whispers, is like a light rumble that always echoes in my heart when he speaks.

"I would have thought you and C - your brother had much to discuss after last night. Did you call Aro?" I say, eager to hear Marcus voice again so I compare it to the one the dream engraved in my memory.

"Caius did," the brown-haired king replies, smiling softly as he lifts a hand, trailing a finger on the side of my face, brushing my cheek lightly. He is watching me, but in his gaze I can see that his mind is far away, thinking about something or something else. I can guess the nuances I hear in my dream in his voice, but I do not hear them as I did tonight.

This settles it, it can only have been a dream. My hearing had been way too good, a fact which should have been obvious since I heard Caius light steps, I now realize. Vampires cannot be heard walking by humans. I had enough frights as a Cullen popped up at my side to know that. And I find it hard to imagine the Volturi speaking between them at human pace. They have no reason to slow themselves down in private.

"Can I ask you something?" I blurt out. I need to know if the dream was only that, a dream, or whether what I heard in it is true. Maybe my intuition decided to be useful for once instead of being the voice of paranoia.

Marcus smiles at me with amusement before answering.

"Of course."

I can perfectly hear the silent _You just did._ Ugh.

"Did you notice something strange about while I was sleeping?"

"I am not sure I understand what you mean, my dear," Marcus answers softly.

"Did... I don't know... My heart beat change a lot? I know it is supposed to change with the phases of the sleep. Does it allow you to know when I dream and when I don't?" I babble, trying with my not yet fully awake brain to hide the purpose of my question.

"It slows down in deep sleep and quickens when you dream, yes," Marcus says, his expression unreadable. And then, he pronounces something, in a language I do not understand. It isn't Italian: I recognize nothing, cannot even distinguish the words from another although he spoke at human speed. The language he spoke, whatever it is, shares no common roots with the English one.

"What did you say?" I ask Marcus, curious.

"This is for me to know, and for you to wonder about," the vampire says, chuckling. "It was Ancient Egyptian. Only Caius here can understand it."

I freeze. Either he just spoke to his brother... Or he just checked that I couldn't understand Ancient Egyptian.

_I wouldn't have come here if there was any risk we would be understood,_ Caius had said in the dream. They use this language to communicate and probably also to think in when they do not want to be understood, as vampires can always overhear others and Edwards can overhear someone's thoughts. If my dream wasn't one, they would have said what they did in it in Ancient Egyptian.

But I cannot be gifted with understanding languages, or it would have worked now.

Did I have some sort of vision? Some sort of super awareness that enabled me to hear and understand what I shouldn't be able to?

"Anna, are you alright?" Marcus asks, touching my cheek with one cold palm. In lean into his touch, my eyes in his, as my thoughts whirl around.

I need to know what it was, that happened tonight. But I am afraid to ask straightforwardly, in case it was just a dream. How can I... ?

"I should take a shower," I say.

Because I don't want to smell after the prior evening. And there is no way that Marcus can understand the reference. That was stupid. But I need to take my morning shower anyway.

I stand up, and go to the bathroom. I have just removed my long-sleeves shirt when I see my reflection in the great mirror. I freeze and stare.

It can't be.

I lift my arms to see them with my own eyes, I touch them.

It is.

"Carlisle! Carlisle!" I call, panic taking over.


	23. Chapter 23

Yesterday, when I went to sleep, my arms, my chest and my back were littered with scars where my skin had broken and my bones miraculously held strong when Victoria's lackey had attacked me. The small fracture on my knee had healed thrice as fast as it should have. The scars, which where supposed never to go away, had disappeared overnight. And it is frightening me.

The scars don't feel gone. As I look down to my arms and my bare chest, I can picture them being present, but invisible, crawling under my skin...

When Carlisle comes running in the bathroom, leaving the door open behind him, I am shaking, staring down at the perfect skin on my forearms.

"Anna," the Cullen father calls gently, bringing me back to my senses as he grasps my hands between his. "How do you feel?"

"Am -am I healed, or is this just an illusion?" I manage to ask as my shaking dies down. "I feel like my skin is going to burst open at any moment."

The doctor soft fingers probe the places where my wounds should be, moving the skin with his fingertips.

"You seem to be healed. Your skin is dry and stretched, so you will need to apply moisturizing cream daily for a few weeks, but other wise you are perfectly fine."

Carlisle takes the towel nearby and puts it over me before making me lean into his comforting embrace.

"Everything is alright. You must probably be gifted, like Bella is," he reassures me.

I now feel stupid. Many theories had crossed my mind, but not that one. Trying to explain also how I could have had a super hearing was the idea that maybe there was vampire venom in my vein because of Victoria's lackey attack. An other one was that I may be less human than I thought - after all shape-shifters are normal humans until they come close to their first change.

"You don't think it may be because of the attack?" I ask Carlisle.

"I will make tests, if you want," he offers.

"It would make sense if you had some physical protection gift, knowing that your twin sister has a mental one," Marcus says from the bedroom.

I turn to the door, to find it wide open. Marcus is standing there, blocking the view with his long frame, but I can see several people behind him. At least Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper are here.

The must have seen my bare chest before Carlisle covered it. _Fuck._ That a doctors sees me half naked isn't so much of a problem, but the other males... I hope that Marcus enjoyed the view at least.

"I guess so," I answer the Volturi king.

I nearly admit that I was thinking my gift has something to do with visions or astral projection when I change my mind. I _hate_ saying something wrong, I always feel so ashamed when I learn it is false. I don't want to take the risk. And if I am indeed turning into some non-human creature, Carlisle will notice it with his tests.

_Girl, grow some balls and - Wait don't. Pull it together, steel yourself, and ask Marcus!_

I take a deep breath, focusing on the gentle king. Or at least the one who seems gentle.

That was a failure. An other deep breath, and...

"Marcus, did you talk with you brother tonight?" I blurt out the question.

"I did," he admits. "Why do you ask?"

I turn toward Carlisle.

Time for the next deep breath.

"I'm pretty sure that either I have a special gift linked with super awareness, or for some reason or another, I had vampire hearing _while I was asleep _tonight. I could hear them talk and walk. Humans can't hear vampires walk."

Thankfully, the Cullen coven leader is a vampire. I doubt many humans would have understood what I just said, so fast I was talking.

The least I talk about it, the easier it is to pretend that everything is well.

_Something is wrong. Something feels wrong._ I can remember the strange thought I had from yesterday. Was I wrong to dismiss it as a paranoid exhaustion induced intuition?

_You're over reacting. Everything is well, I am sure. The physical protection theory makes perfect sense. Hell, it may also explain the super hearing. What if there was vampire venom caught in you that tried to turn you only to be blocked by your shield?_

_What if I cannot be turned in a vampire because of my gift?_

Perfect. I just went from one worrisome thought to the other.

"Take your shower, and I will take a sample of your blood afterwards for analysis," Carlisle says. "It is only as a precaution. I do not think that there is anything abnormal. If some vampire venom had gotten in your blood, whatever the quantity, it would have caused extreme pain and would eventually have turned you." The doctor smiles down at me, holding me tighter for a second before releasing me. "You can relax."

My treacherous body betrays me. At the doctor's words, I can't help but think back about yesterday evening, and I unwillingly turn my head to look at Marcus. If I couldn't see my reflection in one of the numerous mirrors with the corner of my eye, I would have been sure I became as red as the Volturi guards' eyes. As it is, my cheek thankfully barely colored. I never was one to blush easily.

The king smiles as our eyes meet, and as his smile reaches his eyes more than usually, I know he thought of the same as I did.

Well, at least it was efficient. I am now totally relaxed. Would Carlisle mind if my shower was longer than he expected because Marcus helps me to relax even more?

Blue heavens, I truly am a desperate case.

Carlisle closes the door behind him as he leaves the bathroom, and I lay against the wall for a few seconds, breathing deeply.

I think I have mood swings.

I think I love them.

And I don't know what I want anymore.


	24. Chapter 24

Carlisle went to the hospital to perform the blood analysis, the Cullen children and Bella went to school, and Esme, the Volturi and I are staying home - me because I am still supposed to be recovering from severe injuries. We all are in the living room, the guards having joined the kings there. Alec is here, as well as Demetri and Felix - they all introduced themselves to me when Marcus and Caius called them in. I was told that Jane, Alec twin's sister, was staying with Aro.

Demetri, looking over Felix' shoulder, whispers some words to the ear of the giant vampire, who grins and moves his hand toward the chess board.

"Hey, no cheating," calls Caius, lifting his eyes from his phone for a second, the time to glare at the sheepish guard. "Felix if you are playing, try to win on your own. Demetri, stop helping him."

"Yes Master," the two chorus, and the king goes back to whatever he was doing, lips pinched in an annoyed frown.

I find myself gazing at him longer than I should before focusing back on the chess board. I must be going crazy, because I'm starting to find Caius' facial expressions cute. I want to outline his thin mouth with a finger, to see if that would make his frown disappear. If we were closer, as his wife and he are, how would he react? Would he catch my finger between his lips? Would he smile but ignore it? Would he playfully snap my hand away? Or would he glare and push me away, annoyed?

Mentioning Athenodora, Caius wife, I have to admit that I want to meet her. If I don't like her, I will be very happy to steel Caius from her. If I like her, I would love for us to become friends. And if we do, I would encourage Caius to stay with her, I decide. My mate and I do not need to be lovers. We could be friends.

And I really wonder if all this is just a fleeting decision, or something that I really believe to be both possible and something I want. But as I lie here, against Marcus, one of his arms around my waist, I feel so cared for that a mate seems unnecessary. I have no doubt that Caius feels something even stronger for his wife, and I can now understand what he said the previous night. Isn't Marcus perfect for me? Why should I need his brother? Should my heart bend to fate's decision?

I think I fit well among the Volturi. Caius, I think, is working on his phone, sitting on one armchair. Marcus is reading on the couch, holding me against him, his fingers sometimes caressing my belly in what could appear to be an absent-minded gesture, if I didn't know how well thought his every moves are.

I am playing chess with Felix, Demetri and Alec watching us. The tracker is bending over his friend's shoulder, while the teenage-looking vampire is sitting on the ground, sometimes looking down to the phone in his hand. Felix teased him about Jane being able to survive a few days on her own, so I think they are texting each other.

A few days. I don't look forward to seeing Marcus go. It is strange how fast a relationship can settle, when both people act as if it was already existing for ages.

"Can I still move my rook in E1 as Demetri told me to?"

I focus back on the chessboard. I played twice with Demetri already, losing both times. I won once against Felix, and we are now having a rematch. Why did Demetri advise him to... ?

"No! Definitely not. If you do that, I'm going to lose my horse," I realize. "You wouldn't have thought of this without help, so no, you don't do it. And it isn't like you need to do it in order to protect your castle. You can also move your pawn in H3, or move your king in F1."

"Or," Marcus suggests, closing his book on a finger to keep his page, "you can do it and Demetri can keep helping you, and I help Anna."

I look at him, surprised.

"I didn't realize you were paying attention to the game."

"I wasn't," Marcus replies. "But Demetri still makes mistakes sometimes, so a missing horse can be manageable. We may still win this. Especially if Caius can lay his phone aside for a few minutes and come over her to help us."

The blond king lifts his head, eyebrows raised in contempt.

"You do realize that you messing around and leaving Volterra doesn't make my work load suddenly disappear, do you?"

"Why do you even have so much to do? I cannot remember us being very busy a few days ago."

"You shouldn't have skipped calling Aro," Caius retorts, amusement however shining in his eyes. "I will brief you out later. For now, play chess, read your books, cuddle your lover, and let me work."

I think my brain is going to give up under all the cooing thoughts that fill it. Some part of me is aware that the Volturi are dangerous and can be very heartless, but it is covered by all what I saw of them since the beginning of their stay. The brotherly love between the two kings is even more amazing as I dreamed it to be before meeting them, if that is even possible.

How much of their attitude is pretending, and how much is genuine?

I don't know. But there is one thing I am sure of: Marcus does really like me.

_When I am with her, the pain of Didyme's death lessens._

No one but Caius was supposed to hear that. I know Marcus wasn't lying. He couldn't know that I would hear him, and that by some miracle I would understand his words, which I strongly suspect to have been said in Ancient Egyptian.

I still wonder what my gift can be. I am not good with languages, but I could have visions. And a physical protection could make sense, since my bones never broke before, though it wouldn't explain why my skin can still be hurt so easily. Unbreakable bones _and_ visions? Is that even possible? Or could the dream and understanding come from something else than a gift? Maybe I just connected unknowingly to Marcus' soul for a minute, thus hearing and understanding part of what he did?

Carlisle arrives back home a few hours later, possibly bringing an information that could help us find out what my gift is.

His face is grim, and he doesn't speak as he comes to kneel in front of me to be at my level, a hand on my knee in support.

Everyone fell silent and is now looking at us. Marcus tightens his hold on me.

"You were right Anna," the doctor says.

He takes a useless breath.

"In your blood, I have found cells with human DNA, and others with vampire one. I don't know how much you know about DNA, but each living being has their own one."

"I know that, two persons can't have the same DNA," I say. "Do you mean to say that I am partially a vampire?"

Carlisle shakes his head.

"Someone who turns in a vampire keeps a similar DNA through the mutation. You have two, clearly distinct DNA in your body. But you can only have one. It means that there is, inside of you, a part of a foreign living organism."


	25. Chapter 25

_**WARNING : This chapter contains mentions of death**_

* * *

_**Previously : **__"Someone who turns in a vampire keeps a similar DNA through the mutation. You have two, clearly distinct DNA in your body. But you can only have one. It means that there is, inside of you, a part of a foreign living organism."_

* * *

My throat tightens as I try to process Carlisle's words. How can there be pieces of someone else inside of me? I do not understand enough about biolody to know what this entails, but I do know that this isn't normal.

No one dares to speak during the next few seconds. Marcus has pulled me even closer to him, his arm tight around my waist, my back pressed against his chest. He isn't making any noises, but my body vibrates with his silent growl.

"How is that even possible?" Marcus finally asks, voice freezing.

Carlisle, still on one knee in front of me, looks up to the king.

"I am not sure."

"But you have an idea, speak!" Caius orders.

There is no denying the two Volturi rulers when they speak like this. Their aura overshadows any others in the room. Authority and power fill their voices.

"As you know, Anna was attacked a week ago. She nearly died because of blood loss, but miraculously, has not been hurt further than her skin, and a fracture in a knee. That, added to the fact that she has never healed anobmarly fast before this event, makes me believe that it was then that she was contaminated. The vampire who attacked her didn't want to kill her, or she would have died. He had plenty if time to snap her neck."

Carlisle closes his eyes, taking his time to fill his lungs with the air that speaking requires. I already feel slightly sick, and only dread what he has to say that troubles him so. I now understand why he felt the need to stay close to me and comfort me. I am not going to like what comes next. And indeed, I don't.

"Victoria was gifted with an incredible escaping and survival gift. If she heard that Anna was one of the Volturi king's mate, she probably assumed that Anna would be kept alive at all costs."

Carlisle now looks at me, straight in the eyes, as he goes on, sorrow in his tone.

"Vampires can control every single part of their body, even if they are cut from them. That is why a vampire has to been burned to be killed. Otherwise, they would always be able to reassemble. Even turned into dust, a vampire's body can built itself back, though it can take centuries for it to happen. What if Victoria tried to survive by saving some parts of herself through you? What if she asked her lackey to fill your blood with some of her own cells?"

"Her main body still alive, she wouldn't have had a very precise control over something as small as cells. But if her gift of survival includes the ability to stay alive as long as some parts of her survives..." He shakes his head.

"The morning Marcus came, you were still hurt. That evening, Caius and the guards came, and Victoria was killed during the night. And the next morning, your knee was fully healed. The day after that, your scars were also."

He doesn't conclude his observations and what-if story. There is no need to. We all have understood. Her body burned, the only parts of Victoria that would still be alive would be a few cells in my blood. Having only a few little things to control, she could move each of them easier. She could make her cells dupliquate, could guide them through me.

"So it is her cells that closed my wounds?" I ask, making sure I understood.

Carlisle shakes his head.

"Had it been the case, you would have had vampire skin where your scars used to be. I think she simply helped your own cells to heal what human cells normally wouldn't have attempted to."

"And..." My voice is trembling as I try to express my fear. "And can she try to take control of my whole body like this? Can she hear through my ears, see through my eyes? Will she, with time, be able to move my own limbs?"

"I am sorry," Carlisle says, closing his eyes.

My world crumbles around me. I feel like a character in an zombie movie, who learned they were contaminated and soon would turn into a monstreous beast. Their will and soul would die, and their body would be stolen and used by the virus that is slowly taking the whole population down.

Victoria is trying to steal my body. She can already manipulate some of it. She spied on the kings through me.

"I think she understands Ancient Egyptian," I mumble. "Because I certainly don't."

Marcus angry snarl reminds me strongly on my mate's ones. But Caius is focusing on other things than the discussion he now know I overheard and understood.

"Why do you say it is Victoria?" The blond king asks. "Why not the vampire who hurt her? Some of his cells could have accidently gone in her blood when he attacked her."

But the spark of hope is short lived.

"The vampire's DNA is female," Carlisle answers.

"Anyway," Caius goes on, "a vampire has never been known to survive through only a few cells. Even with the red-heads survival gift, this idea is very far-fetched."

This time, it is Marcus who answers, still gripping to me possessively, as if the gesture could keep me away from harm and keep Victoria from taking me away from him.

"We do not know for sure that a vampire dies when most of his body is destroyed."

Esme gasps as the three guards look up in chock. So many vampires were thought to have been put out of their misery throughout the years. What if they actually didn't die, and kept alive, with only a few sparks of dust as a body? What kind of existence is that?

I very suddenly find the idea of becoming a vampire much less appealing. I prefer dying forever than risking being trapped in dust for eternity.

_But what proof do you have that this isn't exactly what happens to the human mind? What proof do you have that it doesn't stay trapped in the corpse? Humans can't move their body parts without a physical link._

Alright, becoming a vampire and making sure I never die. Best solution. I never thought I would wish for souls not to exist and for humans to simply be electricty moving in a brain. For the first time, I realise that this hypothesis isn't as scary as others can be.

_But maybe the soul isn't restricted to the remains after the death of the body. Maybe it moves away, or mayebe it ends up free to move around in the whole world._

Ah, I like this kind of hypotheses more.

"Edward keeps repeating that vampires don't have souls," I comment, breaking the silence that settled after Marcus' frightening remark. "I wonder how he will react to hearing that it may actually be the other way round: that a human's soul can leave the body, whereas a vampire's may be locked forever into it."

"Please, don't say this again," Demetri begs, shuddering. "I would rather never think about this anymore."

I glance at all the vampires in the room, even squirming against Marcus to be able to see his expression. All look horrified, but for the kings. The brown haired one seems totally unaffected. His brother is thoughtful, lips pinched in a slight frown.

Perfect. They all are thinking about themselves, and they completely forgot about me.

I think a reminder is needed.

"Sooo," I drawl out, sarcastic me taking over. "Remembering that Victoria's gift is in survival, and not in controling her body better than any one else, and that you therefore have no reason to freak out, what do we do now?"


	26. Chapter 26

It was decided that I had to go back to Volterra. I went home to see my dad, arms covered and with the crutches I was given but never used before. My day was happy to see me again and allowed me to go to Italy for a few weeks. With all what happened, he understood my desire to go away, relax, heal, and do some sightseeing. I would finish my school year by correspondence.

Then, I went back to the Cullens', waiting for Bella and the Cullen children to come back so I could see them one last time before leaving. I was also hoping to convince Jasper and Alice to come with me.

I called Leah, explained what we discovered, and soon after the whole pack and the elders where there. They spent the afternoon with me, regularly growling and calling Victoria names.

What can very well be my last day in Forks was sweet and sad, and I hope I will see my father again.

"Anna, are you alright?" Marcus' deep voice rumbles in my ear in a whisper, bringing me back to my current surroundings.

I am sitting in the brown-haired king's lap as we are flying to Italy in the Volturi's private jet. The plane is the most luxurious one I have ever seen. I mean, there are several rooms in it! This plane has bedrooms! What kind of plane has bedrooms? My first reaction upon discovering that had made the Volturi laugh.

"Anna," Marcus calls again, nuzzling his nose against my neck. Being the very ticklish girl that I am, I squeal and giggle. Very dignified.

Marcus chuckles softly and pushes my hair away before laying an open kiss on my sensitive skin. On my pulse point, in fact, I can't help but notice.

"It is now very late in the evening in Forks," Alice comments from where she is sited. We are all in the main room of the plane, the guards, she and Jasper, Caius, Marcus and me. Aro, of course, has already been notified of the change of plan, and is preparing for our arrival, I was told. This leaves the blond king with nothing to do, and as the two Cullens are whispering to each other, as are the guards, and Marcus is focusing solely on me, my mate sits alone.

"I forgot," Marcus admits, standing up and pulling me on my feet. "You should go to sleep."

Why _vampires_ need a bedroom in a plane is a mystery to me.

And my tired mind is really slipping all over the place, I notice.

If Marcus stays with me, Caius will stay alone. His eyes may not be throwing daggers at everyone around him, but I doubt he is enjoying being left to his thoughts.

We are halfway to the door when I look up at Marcus.

"And your brother?" I ask. The king looks at me, confused. "You don't need to stay with me as I sleep," I explain, "you can stay with him."

Now it is my turn to be confused as glee washes over me, soon replaced by calm.

It takes me a few seconds to understand that this was Jasper's doing, and a few more to understand that it was Marcus' emotions. Why would he be gleeful?

You're tired.

_I know. Shut up._

_... _

_You know that not thinking at all is impossible?_

_Fuck you._

_Very eloquent. Wasn't there a no swearing rule?_

_SHUT UP!_

I close my eyes tightly, annoyed by myself. Thank you for the reminder Alice, I really do need to sleep.

_She cannot hear you._

I am being sit down on a soft mattress. I blink. Somehow, I manage to be brought to the bedroom without realizing it. And since Marcus is carefully releasing me, he must have carried me.

I blink. Then understand. I spaced out. I hate how things always move around when I do. Can't they stay dutifully at their places?

"Anna?" Marcus calls. I turn to look at him.

_Yes? What is it?_

"She really need to sleep," Caius observes.

I turn around.

He is standing on the other side of the bed, watching me. What is he doing here?

I turn back to Marcus when I feel my feet being released from the hold of my shoes. Huh.

Marcus stands up -why was he kneeling?- and catches the hem of my shirt, the one at my waist. Slowly, he pulls it up, and I lift my arms obediently.

But my bra, I am now top-less.

Why am I amused?

When the emotion disappears, it isn't replaced by the strange calm I associate with Jasper, just by my confusion. That was me.

Why was I amused?

My belt is being opened, and then my jeans. Still slowly enough for me to follow, they are being pulled down, and removed.

My socks follow. I am now only in my underwear.

"Time to sleep," a deep voice whispers in my ear.

It was Marcus. He lifts me in his arm and places me in the middle of the bed. The blankets, which had been lifted, are then pulled over me, tucking me in.

I have barely enough awareness to feel comforted by how everything feels so normal, despite Victoria. I am still myself, my familiar broken self.

Someone lays down beside me, at my right. But Marcus is at my left.

I blink.

_Caius._

I turn my head to see that the blond king is, indeed at my side. I smile sleepily and pull closer to him, encircling his chest with my arms.

He freezes a few seconds, and then relax.

Confusion. Delight.

Calm.

As I shift to find a comfortable position against my mate, he growls, moving himself, probably because I was doing it too slow for his liking.

Desire.

Calm.

Or not. I giggle slightly in my mate's chest.

Someone - _Marcus, you idiot_ \- lays down behind me.

This time, my amusement and happiness do not surprise me.

I have no idea what exactly happened in the last five or ten minutes or so, but I am the effectively trapped between two of the three Volturi kings.

As I fall asleep, I am the happiest woman in the world.


	27. Chapter 27

My sleep, however, is not to be restful.

As it happened yesterday, I am not unconscious. I am dreaming, yes, but I am also very aware of my surroundings. I can feel the shape of the two kings' bodies against me, and the cold radiating form Caius' where the blankets don't protect me from it. My hearing is more acute than it should.

Victoria.

The name has barely crossed my mind that pictures follow it. Red hair flowing wild. I start dreaming.

I am in a small street plunged into darkness. My heart is pounding in my chest. A cruel laughter comes down to me. I look up at the buildings, to see Victoria staring down at me.

I only saw her once, when we first met her after the baseball game, but I have no doubt that this is her.

_It is a dream,_ I try to reassure myself.

_Is it really?_

She is, after all, in my body. She could also be in my mind.

_A nightmare, nothing more, _the easing thought comes again.

"Are you afraid of me?" Victoria says from where she is, voice cruel and mocking.

I step back, slip, and end up on my butt.

_Run._

_But she is faster than me._

_But it is a dream._

In a bit of a daze, I can feel my body standing up, and starting to move. Fast. Everything is a blur, and I cannot see anything.

Caius shifts to press himself further against me.

Marcus chuckles softly.

"Have you already changed your mind about her, brother?" he asks.

"I have to admit that she is comfortable to hold," my mate bits back, annoyance is his tone. It only makes Marcus laugh a little more.

"Then I did good asking you to join us for her sleep. Do you think that she was right, that you will end up wanting to be hers? Pleading her to accept you?"

"I certainly shall not!" Caius cries, outraged at the suggestion.

I stop running, laughing at the kings' conversation.

I do not feel very well. I am still unable to focus, unable to produce deep thoughts about something as my mind slips constantly to other matters. I am in an ocean of thoughts and they are twirling around me, brushing my skin, but I cannot grasp at them.

I am still disconnected, as I am when I space out. The only difference is how aware I am of my surroundings - in the real world that is. I just realized that I am now in a totally different place in my dream. I am in Volterra, standing in the middle of the empty throne room.

Can Victoria reach me here?

I look around, and seeing no one, move to sit on Caius' throne. I don't really know why, but the action makes me feel very naughty. I snicker in my dream.

_Dear heaven, I am becoming completely crazy!_

_You shouldn't use the word naughty._

Oh! It does remind me of books where the main male character is playfully and more importantly _lustfully_ berating his lover.

_Now imagine Marcus and Caius making love to you in this very room._

I gasp. Was this meant to be a nightmare? Because my tired mind is certainly turning it into a very pleasant fantasy.

Thinking about my mate, I can hear him growl and shift in the hold of my arms. He grabs my hip through the blankets, pressing me further into him.

"She seems to be having very pleasant dreams," Marcus comments.

The next instant, Caius completely releases me and slips out from my embrace. Marcus weight soon disappears too.

A growl rips through the constant noise of the aircraft engines.

"Will you stop that at once!" I can hear my mate order, his voice dripping with cold anger. "What has befallen you? For ten centuries, you were silent, a depressive shadow of who you once were. Suddenly, you start paying attention again, playing the mind games you and Aro enjoy so much. Do not bother pretending that your mourning ended, I know it didn't."

To my surprise, I can hear Marcus snarl.

"Stop acting like an idiot then, Caius! You have _no idea _how precious a mate is,_ no idea_ of what you are wasting!"

Regret and sadness fill me as his suffering is so obvious in his voice. I want then and there nothing more than to see him happy with his wife.

Marcus gasps. A single sob escapes him, nearly silent, but my enhanced hearing can pick it up. Caius, closer to his brother than I am, hears it too.

I can hear them moving a little, and then, it happens. Without me willing it, as I am still asleep, half of my awareness still in the empty throne room of Volterra, my eyes open. My body turns around so I can see what is happening.

Caius, who was pinning Marcus to the floor, is now taking him up in his arms, to hold him against his chest in a comforting embrace. Marcus hugs him back, hiding his face in his brother's chest.

For maybe half a second, sadness and affection take hold of my emotions. Then, there is only fear, fear as I never felt before. My body moved without me willing it to.

"Masters?" I can hear Jasper call hesitantly.

My eyes close immediately, and my hearing goes back to normal. My dream fades away as I am waking up.

"What is it?" Caius growls, loud enough that I can hear it. Jasper's answer, however, I cannot.

In the blink of an eye, I find myself being pinned down to the bed, a vampire growling down at me. A hand closes itself around my neck.

Now fully awake, I open my eyes, rather concerned about my current situation.

Caius is staring down a me threateningly.

His grip on my throat tightens slightly.

"Anna?" he asks.

What the hell is going on?

Marcus picked up on my confusion.

"Jasper told us you were terrified," he explains. "We thought that maybe the vampire had taken control of you."

I look at him from the corner of my eye. There is no hint of him having cried a few seconds ago. Was everything a dream? It is the only explanation I can find for all that happened. I am lost, so utterly confused about everything. Nothing seems to make sense.

And for the first time of my life, I consciously decide to pick the easy way out. I can't make myself faint. But I can still escape. I stop thinking about the world. And I space out.


	28. Chapter 28

I never feel safer than when I space out, when I retreat to the well known and comforting confines of my mind. Nothing can affect me here, no one can hurt me. There is silence, and my voice, and whatever I want to make up. Stories, alternative ways the future could play up, alternative ways the past could have gone, I can make anything happen in this safe place of mine. Here, I am the one setting the rules.

'Waking up' is the hardest. But I am curious by nature. I want to see what will come to be, in the one world I do not control. Furthermore, even if it doesn't find an echo in me, I do know that the world _out there_ is supposed to be the real one. If I die there, I die here too, or so everyone believes. Sometimes, I wonder...

But I am curious, and more important than everything else, I crave _people_. I love watching people in my mind, love trying to understand them, love seeing them live. But it is nothing next to being with people I do not control. People, who are a mystery, even when I can see right through them. People, who act on a will that is not mine. People, who can fight against me, and leave me breathless. People, who can hold me against them, and smile.

Even while I am here, walking on warm golden sand, dying waves sometimes reaching my feet, I find myself thinking about my mate. Caius. Even in my mind's kingdom, he finds his way to me. Fate's reach is wider as I thought. Or maybe, it is Caius' tug on my heart.

There is something about him that calls to me. In the peace, calm and quiet of my private world, I can try to probe the depths of my heart to find out why.

Fear. It is a feeling I know well, too well. I am afraid of getting hurt, of being alone, of being hated, of not being loved. I am afraid of sleeping, and I am afraid of coming back to the world to see that it changed while I was spacing out.

I can space out in two different ways. When too many thoughts are whirling through my head, I lose awareness of my surroundings, and find myself trapped by my own mind. When I leave the world calmly though, I end up here, in this place I do so enjoy.

Can Caius keep me away from the prison I fear and join me in the place of freedom and joy I love? Can he make me find such happiness in the real world?

Blond hair, milky veiled rubies eyes, white skin softer than the marble of the young vampires the Cullens are. Strong shoulders, average height, both muscular and slender build. Strength and power. Of course I would love all that.

Anger, quick temper, constant annoyance. Neither controlled nor calm, but with an ever changing mood.

This is maybe exactly what I need to feel excitement rushing through my veins. Caius is unpredictable, and passionate, on top of being the strong and powerful ruler he is. Can I look down on him as I now look down on the immature children most of the wolves are? Will I ever find him to dull as I find Edward? Will he ever annoy me like the aforementioned brooding teenager?

No, never. Caius is a man and is life and change. And I dare let myself hope that he will never fall pray to my charms as I said he would in my over-confidence-and-calm induced trance. I want him at my feet, I really do, but I need to be reminded of why the real world is more interesting than mine. I need to feel _strength_, and _passion_. I need to be caught in a fiery embrace when I don't expect it, I need lips to crash onto mine with desire, I need hands to roam my body, and I need a body pressing me down firmly.

I need Caius.

I fall on my knees, panting. I lay my hands on the sand in front of me to hold my weight. I have barely the time to register my wish for the water level to raise that the waves engulf me. I gasp, and arch my back. Each and every little part of me is on fire. _Desire_. The most pleasant sensation I know. The one which makes me feel _alive_, which makes me smile when I wake up in my bed in the morning.

A thought : _"I'm good"_, and I am not in the sea anymore. I am in a wide green field of flowers, laying in soft fresh grass, light spring scents flowing to my nose.

Perfection.

There are only a few places in my mind's world where I go in to think and live. The beach is one of them, the field an other. Then, there is the mansion. It is there that I next flash myself to as thoughts of Caius invade my mind again.

I am on the king-sized bed, naked, and my mate is standing in front of me, want in his eyes. He settles on his knees between my legs. He bends forward, lightly kissing my belly before becoming more forceful. His kisses move up to my lips, his arms encircle me, his body pushes against mine, pressing me further into the mattress.

That too would be perfection.

I smile, now alone in the bedroom, enjoying the caress of the air on my naked breasts, still flushed hot with desire and pleasure.

Heaven.

It is strange, I muse, how little Marcus affects me when he isn't at my side. It is only Caius I dream about here in my mind's kingdom.

Marcus. What about him?

I like him, I really do. But he isn't as perfect for me as his brother is. His touch is sweet, creates tingle in my body, but I still have to make an effort to stay with him and not to back up into my mind. He is love, he is comfort, he is the arms that hold me through the night, because they care. I want Caius.

If what happened in the plane was real and not a figment of my imagination - and I do think looking back that it was real -, Caius would be desire and passion, the arms that hold me through the night because they can never have enough of me.

I laugh in the silence of my secret bedroom. It makes sense, to me at least. The two brothers are very different; the three are, counting Aro. Now that I went over my first judgment of Caius - when did I? - I can only admit that each incarnates an ideal of male perfection, and each a different one. I realized the first time I met them how complementary they are. Time only confirmed it.

Marcus, hit my a sudden memory of his late mate, Caius holding him in a comforting embrace.

I close my eyes. Sweat heaven, what a beautiful memory to cherish.

One I would never have had if it wasn't for the vampire inside of me.

My eyes fly back open, staring at the wooden ceiling.

My core, which is more often than not right about people, screams that Victoria was a mean bitch, a hateful woman I could never have liked. She had neither elegance nor kindness nor a particularly smart brain. She never was _anything but_ a self-centered idiot who tried to harm me and Bella.

She isn't the shy vampire who is so curious about the kings and admires them so. She isn't the one who melts with a sight of brotherly affection between them. She isn't the one who reached out to a sobbing Marcus. She isn't the one who enjoys being held as much as I do.

Victoria is not the one inside of me. A girl, whom I am already starting to love, is.

I pull, and with a strain in the part of my brain behind my eyes, the bedroom fades away. I'm not on the plane anymore, I notice absentmindedly.

Bright red eyes are staring at me with curiosity.


	29. Chapter 29

_Bright red eyes are staring at me with curiosity._

I blink.

The red eyes twinkle, and joyful laughter escapes their owner.

"Hello Aro," I say.

"Dear Anna," he greets me, smiling widely. "Welcome back to Volterra!"

-Which explains how he can be kneeling in front of me. The biggest inconvenient of spacing out is that things happen without me noticing. Usually, it is mostly objects and people moving around me. This time, _I _moved too.

I am sitting in a dark office lighted by golden chandeliers. The ground is made out of black stones, the walls are covered with dark red tapestries where they are not adorned with paintings, and the furniture are in dark carved wood. Silver and gold objects can be found all across the room, from decorative items to useful old-fashioned ones, like an inkwell for example.

In the dim light, I can barely make out the bookshelf against the furthest wall. But I have no doubt that most of the books are old and bound by leather. The only modern item in sight is the laptop sitting inconspicuously on the corner of the desk. It fits surprisingly well in the room.

"I'm glad you like it," Aro comments. "This is my office. I though we may speak privately before I show you to your bedroom. It is already the morning here in Italy, but you may want to take a nap."

I nod. The time difference with Washington shouldn't be difficult to adapt to, since night will come earlier and I didn't get a lot of sleep in the plane anyway. However, a quick nap will help me go through the day.

Aro slowly gets up from the floor, sitting down next to me on the couch, still holding my hand between his.

"I may know every thought you ever had, but it doesn't make you any less fascinating," the king murmurs. Is there an 'extremely sweet' switch on him I can turn off? I am sure he acts this way to confuse people, and hell does it work well. Not that he needs it anyway, given the state I am in.

The vampire laughs lightly.

"It wouldn't be as fun if there was. You like me how I am."

He lifts my right hand up to his mouth, kissing my knuckles, his smile widening.

"Now, I didn't keep you here for such frivolous matters, even if I do enjoy simply being in your company. There are two topics we have to discuss, the first one being what we tell the others about your vampire guest."

I stare at him. _What serves my purpose best: lying, hiding the truth, or telling it?_

"Exactly what I am wondering," Aro praises me. "You needing help is a very good reason for you, Alice and Jasper to stay in Volterra. However, I had a hard time convincing my guards and my brothers that it was safe for me to stay with you while waiting for you to wake up."

He doesn't say it, but I am sure he has already made his decision. I would chose to let the Volturi and Cullens know that I am not inhabited by Victoria, but not to reveal my belief that the vampire inside of me is probably a kind and innocent one.

First of all, I am now in Volterra, and I fully intent to make the best out of it. There are three amazing kings here, one I very much wish to have in my bed and an other I am enjoying being the lover of. I also desire Aro, but I will content myself with basking in his majesty and learning from his manipulative side. Moreover, I am really curious to meet Athenodora.

Secondly, I want to find out if there is a way for me to communicate with the vampire inside of me. I will try writing something before going to sleep, as it is when _she_ seems to be able to take over. And being able to speak with her or not, I need to find a way to ensure that my body will never be stolen.

"My, Edward was very right. Your thought process is wonderfully alike to mine. You are a very smart girl."

I snort at the compliment. Aro is quite arrogant. Not that it he shouldn't be.

"So you will stay in Volterra for a few weeks at least, and we will research your... _condition_. Before you go, I only have one more question to ask: what are you planing to do toward my brothers?"

I blink. Doesn't he know that already? He is supposed to know every single thought that ever crossed my mind.

"You have yet to think seriously about what you want," Aro explains.

He is right. But I do not know myself what I want from the kings. I will not refuse Marcus if he wants me still, and I would love to have Caius. I still have to meet Athenodora.

But whatever happens, I respect and admire the Volturi too much to cause any lasting damage consciously.

"You are tired," Aro says. Thanks, captain obvious.

"I trust you not to hurt my family," the king states seriously after a light chuckle.

"I certainly shall not," I answer, aloud this time.

My time spacing out very effectively knocked me out. My mind is half sleeping.

A few seconds later, I find myself being sit down on a bed, Aro releasing me from his arms.

"I hope four hours will be enough for you to feel better. Jasper and Alice are in the room next to yours, and will come to you the moment you call for them. Some guards are also in hearing range. You will be safe here."

"Thank you."

He smiles and pulls a notepad and a pen out of his cloak, handing them to me. There is no need to explain why he gives them to me.

Do I have to hide them? Will someone enter my room to wake me up?

I give my hand back to Aro, both too tired to make the effort to speak and wanting to keep it secret.

"Sulpicia, my wife, or Athenodora, Caius', will probably come to wake you up in a few hours. They are both very curious to meet you."

Then hiding the notepad it is.

"Than you," I say again, and Aro nods.

"Have a nice nap," he murmurs before taking his leave, closing the bedroom door behind him.

Spotting my bag next to the bed, I undress and put some pajama on.

I settle in the bed, and quickly write a few words in the notepad:

_"Hi, my name is Anna, and yours?"_

Then, I put it in the nightstand, and finish disappearing under the covers. Heaven, this bed is comfortable. The pillows and blankets completely swallow me.

I close my eyes, nuzzling my face in one of the pillows.

The bed is heavenly, but I wish I wasn't alone.


	30. Chapter 30

"Time to wake up, my dear!" a clear and soft feminine voice calls me out of my dream-less sleep.

I am still groggy, but I already notice how much more rested I am. 'My' vampire didn't wake up during the nap, and I can now realize how much she kept me from resting properly the last two nights. No wonder I was so tired!

I open my eyes slowly, moving to look up from the big fluffy pillow I hid my face in.

Next to me stands the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth and a less striking but very sensual dark-haired woman.

_Athenodora and Sulpicia. _

I do not need to have heard about them to know which one is which. Only having met the kings once is enough to find it obvious.

Sulpicia is the dark haired one. She is petite and curvy, though with a flat probably muscular belly. Her black dress is skin-tight, with a very deep V-shaped neckline. It is cut nearly hip-high on each side, the white skin of the Queen's legs showing.

Her head is held high, and mirth sparkles in her eyes. She is a Queen and looks like one. Now that I saw her, I cannot imagine Aro with anyone else. I wonder if her personality and her wit fit the raven-haired king as well as her appearance does. Probably. A dim-witted or feeble-minded woman would not have such bright and knowing eyes.

Athenodora is beauty where Sulpicia is seduction, and is sweetness where the black-haired woman is majesty. They both look as if in their twenties, and wear the same golden V shaped pendant - the Volturi crest. They have the same pale snowy skin and slightly white veiled red eyes, but the resemblance ends there, at the signs of their vampire nature and great vampire age.

My mate's wife is tall and lean, with long wavy light chestnut hair. She has the body of a Victoria Angel, and wears a lace black dress. She has less breast than I do.

... And why am I even comparing myself to her?

Athenodora looks at me with a soft curious gaze, though I can see that her lips are pinched slightly. She is closest to me, and since her coven sister is standing further away in an onlooker stance, I suppose she was the one to wake me.

"Good morning," I greet, smiling gently. Blue heaven, this is awkward. How do you even behave with a woman whose husband fate decided to give you?

_"Hi, sorry for steeling your husband. I hope you don't love him too much, because you already started losing him the moment our eyes met. If it wasn't for Alice, he would even have died after I was disposed of! Anyway, I hope the last millennia didn't mean a lot for you, because things are going to change. Ha!"_

Heaven, I really feel awful now, seeing the woman in front of me. I thought one day earlier that I could live with only being friend with Caius? Screw that. Jealousy would have my sanity if I tried to.

_Please Athenodora, could you be a mean stupid bitch? It would make everything so much easier._

"Good morning!" Her joyful tone is forced. I think she feels as awkward as I do.

I look at Sulpicia, who is watching with obvious glee. Yeah, totally Aro's wife.

I grin at her, and she grins back. We are going to be great friends, I am sure.

_Am I allowed to remind you that your intuition is shitty at best?_

_No, you're not. Shut up. I'm at least right once out of two guesses._

_More like every three guesses._

I clear my throat, shaking my head. It seems like I will be my very active self today - or at least for the next few hours.

I stand up, glad that Alice made sure that every clothes I wear are nice enough for me to be comfortable showing them. I feel beautiful even in my pajama. And this has nothing to do with the fact that they hug my breasts so nicely, no, no. I am totally not hoping that Athenodora is also asking herself which body type Caius will end up preferring.

Aargh! Someone please knock some sense in my head!

"You two are _so_ beautiful," I end up sighting dreamily. I am very proud for not sounding jealous. Hey, I may end up as beautiful as Sulpicia after being changed into a vampire! We do have a similar build, her body is just muscular whereas mine is a bit more... fluffy.

"Thank you. And you are very beautiful too! Not fat at all," Athenodora compliments me.

Apparently, she still has to regain her composure. She sounded much more confident when waking me up.

Sulpicia is suspiciously coughing. Her sister shouts her a confused look, and her face morphs in realization and embarrassment. She is an open book.

"Let me guess - Caius described me to you?"

Athenodora turns back to me, her face still strained with unease.

"He did. I was curious..."

"Do not trust anything he said! His thoughts about me are far from flattering enough," I grimace.

And swear silently. Fuck, I said _his_ name. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I hope he didn't hear it. I am still annoyed with him, and will not call him by his name before he offers an apology for calling me an animal and before he stops considering me fat! And I will ask both Aro and Edward to check his thoughts to make sure his change of opinion is genuine.

My stubbornness is all I have, in the end. I will cling to it with all my might.

"I doubt that," Athenodora says. "You're not so bad."

And she throws a panicked look to Sulpicia. I never made someone as embarrassed before, it is surprisingly fun. But I also feel bad about it. Not that I can help improving the atmosphere - this situation is as awkward for me as it is for her.

"Right! All this is so awkward. And your sister is enjoying watching us fumble way too much to help. I say: let's start again, and pretend we didn't hear anything about each other. Which is nearly true. _I only know that Caius loves you very much, or at least used to until I spoiled everything between you._

I stick my hand out to the tall woman.

"Hi! My name is Anna, and I'm completely crazy, and very hyper today. I'm also a manipulative bitch, but I like pretending that no one knows it, even if my sister's annoying boyfriend knows everything that crosses my head when he is near me. I swear that child has no respect for privacy! My biggest dream in life is to see one of the Cullens become president of the United States. But no one takes me seriously."

I smile. "Now you know everything about me. Your turn."

Athenodora laughs nervously. But she does take my hand.

"Alright. So, my name is Athenodora, and I am what you would consider a fossil. And..."

She looks lost as what to add. Thankfully, Sulpicia is here to complete her presentation.

"And she is the shyest vampire alive, I am sure, even though she is one of the three original Volturi. She met Caius and Marcus shortly after been changed, and the three of them became friends. You will have to ask for the tale once, it is a very funny one. Neither of the three had ever seen a vampire before they suddenly found themselves facing two others of their kind. What more to say... Ah, yes, she may be shy and uncomfortable around strangers, but she certainly isn't when it comes to sex!"

Athenodora squeals as she turns to her sister, my hand still in hers.

"Sulpicia!"

She turns back to me. If she was human, I'm sure her cheeks would be aflame.

"Do not listen to her! She likes embarrassing me way too much."

I laugh.

"It seems like everyone around us is set on giving us a false image of the other."

I curtsy, still holding her long and thin soft cold fingers in my hand.

"It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you, Queen Athenodora."

"Queen?"

"Yes, you three are Kings and Queens, I know it. Regardless of what everyone says, I can see right through you!"

Athenodora chuckles, pressing my hand gently in greeting before releasing it.

"You, Sulpicia and Aro are the same."

"I'll take that as a compliment!"

"As you should."

We share a smile. I don't know if I am disappointed or happy that she is just so, well, _likable_. Sweetest woman on earth, I swear.

"Now, will Alice interrupt us before my stomach does?"


	31. Chapter 31

As a matter of fact, Alice and Jasper did enter before my stomach could complain about the lack of food. The wonderful seer had anticipated my needs, as usually, and had bought some Italian pizza and a tiramisu. She brought them to me the moment I finished asking my question, and I ate surrounded by the two Cullens and the two Queens.

It was still a bit awkward, but it was also fun. Jasper's presence certainly helped make us all feel relax and happy.

"Does it ever become long? Being immortal, I mean," I ask before bringing the last spoon of tiramisu to my lips. Hmm... Delicious. I hope I won't be turned anytime soon, because I do enjoy discovering Italian food.

"It depends, I guess," Athenodora answers. "The world is constantly changing. I don't think I will ever tire of watching how humanity evolves. The hardest was to learn not to care, but now it is done, I am very much enjoying myself."

"What do you mean with "to learn not to care"?"Alice asks.

Sulpicia is the one to answer.

"Some things change, and some do not. Often beautiful things get lost, and bad ones stay. A vampire cannot stand living as long as we did if they care about humans or material assets. We the Volturi love only each other, and are happy as long as we are together. Only this enables us to find true and lasting joy as time flows by."

I stare at her in wonder.

And my heart constricts in pain. I roll up, closing my eyes. I am not physically hurt, but it makes no difference. My emotions are strong, _too_ strong.

"Jasper?" I manage to gasp.

I am falling, crumbling, I am _so_ sorry for everything, so sorry, so sorry... And I don't want to hurt Athenodora, I don't want to push her away from her husband... How will she stand staying with her family if she has to keep seeing Caius with someone else than her?

Everything is _my fault_. Every pain is _my fault_. I had to screw up _everything_ because I was selfish. I tried to forget what I had done, and I did another mistake. Is suffering all I have to offer to the people close to me? Do I have to live by trying to make everything obey my wishes? Can I be happy and satisfied without manipulating my way around? Manipulation always ended up in pain, for both parties. I lost so much... Will I ever stop messing with how things are meant to turn out?

I'm barely aware of cold arms lifting me, and of air rushing against my skin. I am being sit down on a couch. And a hand slaps my face, hard. I can already feel the skin re-building as I open my eyes.

I am staring as Aro's eyes, black with anger.

"Diana," he growls.

_What the...?_

"I will only warn you _once_. If you do _anything_ that can harm the Volturi, I _will_ kill you. Even your host's identity won't protect you if you do as much as _lift a finger_ to destroy what I have spend millennia establishing. Am I clear?"

Sadness. Rage. Regret. Shame. Love.

The emotions retreat. But they are nor replaced with a short wave of calm, Jasper's signature to signal the end of a message. It was _her_ emotions.

My head clears slowly. I feel awful, and the sting of my cheek certainly doesn't help. I lift my hand, trailing my fingers on the soft skin there. I already healed.

By the time I focus on Aro, his anger left him, and he looks at me with regret in his eyes.

"I am so sorry," he whispers. "While you were out of awareness this morning, I took a sample of your blood for analysis. I had it run against the vampire DNA database this morning, and a match was found."

I blink. There is a vampire DNA database? Aro, unfortunately, isn't holding my hands, so I have to voice the thought aloud.

He chuckles joylessly. His sad mood fits him as well as his cheerfulness. The black-haired king is undoubtedly, out of the three, the most expressive one, though I do not know how much of the feelings he displays are genuine.

"Were my brothers here, they would ask you if it really surprises you, given how much I like collecting things."

Well, it makes sense I guess. Especially since his power comes from knowledge. The more data he has about vampires, the better he can control them. Vampire DNA may give some useful informations. But it is not what I care the most about right now.

"Who is Diana?" I ask, only to see Aro take a pained look. He starts pacing in the room - his office. It must be soundproofed, which would explain why he brought me there again.

"Diana..." Aro sights slowly shaking his head. "Diana was - or rather is it seems, the most unstable vampire to ever exist. Her gift enabled her to manipulate everyone around her. But she had no control over it. A few times, it went wrong, very wrong."

He runs his fingers on the wood of his desk as he walks around the room, lost in his memories.

"She nearly destroyed the Volturi _by accident _once."

He walks closer and kneels down in front of me, grasping my hands in his. He looks up at me, gaze pleading.

"I think this should stay a secret between us. No one, no one should know. Diana... Some people would be quick to hurt you in an attempt to harm her."

He closes his eyes. I finish in his stead.

_And if you end up having to kill me, you would rather have no one suspecting it was you._

His eyes are still close as he nods, wincing.

"Marcus knows how much you mean for Caius, even if my pig-headed brother does not yet realize it. The two of them would be greatly affected if anything was to happen to you."

He opens his eyes, looking straight into mine.

"I would hate to kill you, I really would. But if Diana becomes to much of a threat, I will. And I would rather not lose my brothers by trying to save the Volturi."

I nod. I understand perfectly. I don't want to die, but if it comes to this... I will have to. And I would rather Marcus and Caius not to be hurt. And I certainly don't want to come between the brothers. I already tear apart the Volturi with Athenodora...

I gasp, tear forming in my eyes as an horrible thought comes to me.

_Is this what Diana feels so bad about? Did she somehow make me be Caius' mate?_


	32. Chapter 32

As months went by, days settled into a routine. I spend all my time with Alice, Jasper, the two Queens, Aro and Marcus, and Alec, whom Aro has experimenting on me in an attempt to learn how to numb Diana without numbing me.

I don't see Caius often, as he somehow always is busy when his brothers come to see me. He is probably avoiding me, which may be a good thing, but it saddens me.

Marcus, on the other hand, makes a point of spending at least one hour with me every day, often much more. He joins me, the Queen and the two Cullens around my dining time, and we all play board and card games and chat together. In the evening, everyone but Marcus leaves, and he usually comes to bed with me, if his timetable allows him to. He holds me in his arm, until I fall asleep. Sometimes, he stays the night, sometimes he works in my bedroom, sometimes he has to leave for a trial or a meeting.

It really surprises me, how much the Volturi are doing. They are unofficially governing the vampire race, that I knew, but they also lead researches about supernatural creatures and infiltrate human institutions in order to keep the existence of vampires secret even as technology develops. Deleting data, spying, working with secret services... The Volturi do it all. They are every where.

I never realized before how important the ruling vampires are, well, beside keeping the others from going on a killing spree that is. It didn't occur to me that human official records keep track of all those who live as humans, and that with the apparition of cameras, one same face appearing again and again over history can be much more easily spotted. That immortal people exist would have come out long ago if it wasn't for the Volturi.

Alice and Jasper are amazed too, as they neither were not aware of the discrete help they have been getting. They now see our human-blood drinking hosts with completely new eyes.

We three feel like children who discovered how sheltered we are, how deep and layered the world is. It isn't a play ground - or at least, the games played are much more complex than we thought. And the three kings play it masterfully.

Marcus told me once that both Aro and Caius love all the hard work they do and do indeed see it as a very thrilling game. Their brother lost his enthusiasm with his wife's death, but he is finding it again as his mourning lightens.

As for the two Queens, they dare not intruding on their husband's work. Sulpicia, whom I learn to be not only Aro's wife but also mate, enjoys speaking with him about all what the Volturi do. However, if he listens to her in private, she has no say in his ruling. She is fine with that though.

Athenodora and her stay away from the guards and official Volturi matters. Alec admitted to have seen them more often in the last months than in the dozen centuries of his life before my arrival. I can't say that the Queens and I are the best of friends, though we do go along well and spend every afternoon together. However, I do not feel as if I am their equal. They are very obviously in a league far above mine. I was were pretentious to think otherwise before.

I relax further into Marcus' cold embrace. One of his hands is rubbing my hip, he having figured out how much I enjoy it. The other is massaging my shoulders and neck, drawing circles on my skin.

Our relationship isn't sexual, though we kiss and share embraces. It is only warmth and love,'innocent affection'.

We are back to how things were just before Caius' arrival in Forks. I can still remember Marcus telling me about mates and how he and I can understand each other, or something like that. As he hinted then, we became lovers, and both of us miss our mates.

I wonder if Caius and I will ever get together. I wonder if I really want it to happen. Diana and I both feel bad about Athenodora who got caught in our scheming.

About that, I am starting to wonder if Diana and I really are two separates beings. We are too similar, we understand each other too well. We react to events with the same emotions. And just like me, she has been very subdued since Aro's warning. Either she is melting into me to make us become one so no one can cut her away from me, or she has always been me. I sometimes ask myself if I am not her reincarnation, and if the 'split personality' isn't a consequence of me having yet to remember who I once was. _I tried to forget what I had done._

"Did you tell your father you are going ti stay and study in Italy?" Marcus asks.

I turn around in his arms to face him. _My beautiful king. _

I lean forward and our lips meet. I move my hands up his shoulders, enjoying how firm they are under his shirt. His skin, as his brothers' and sisters' doesn't feel like marble as the Cullen and other 'young' vampire's does. It is softer, closer to human one, but his muscles are not any less strong.

"I did. He is very happy for me." I snuggle closer to him, sighting in contentment. "Leah, Sam and the elders wrote me soon after. They wonder if this means that my 'possession' is worsening."

Marcus hums.

"Seeing you will probably reassure them."

It is now July, and Bella is soon going to marry Edward. I find it amusing how eager she is to be turn so that the physical age gap between her and her boyfriend doesn't widen, while my own turning is delayed so that I can be turned in my late twenties.

The Kings and Queens all were turned as adults, and they like the freedom it gives them. Jane and Alec for example will never be able to travel among humans without a chaperon. Moreover, Aro and Marcus agree with me: it is better to be frozen in immortality _after_ maturing a bit. Thankfully, Bella is ahead of the other people her age. I never understood how she could fall for a _teenager_. The two I love are men, a few years older than me physically perhaps - but not 'too' much.

The two I love. I stop on that thought.

I don't think I am in love with Caius, hell, I barely know him. He simply is my mate, the one I will always crave for. But Marcus... I do love him, in an affectionate and also physical way. I desire his touch and revel in being held by his arms. Is that the kind of love that makes people want to be together? Or is a sexual pull also necessary? Not that I am not attracted to Marcus that way. However, thinking about it, I find my attraction being more out of curiosity than a real desire from my body. Maybe this comes from me being still a virgin?

"What are you thinking about?" Marcus asks softly, playing with my hair.

Blue heaven, just hearing his voice addressing me makes me feel and giddy, warm and good.

Maybe I do really am in love with him, on top of loving him. But let's ask the relationship expert.

"Marcus?"

"Yes my dear?" he replies, chuckling gently at my 'answer'.

"What is love? How does one know if they are in love?"

The moment those words come out of my mouth, I feel very self-conscious. I don't think I will ever get fully used to feeling young and ignorant about the world, I who always considered myself wise and mature. But how could I not be the child, surrounded by millenia years old Volturi?

Marcus takes my question very seriously though. After taking some tile to think his answer over, he speaks.

"I would say that there are two ways of understanding the fact of being in love. The first is to see it as a state, not a feeling. I always loved Didyme, and sometimes, rather often, I felt 'in love' when I was around her, or thinking about her. I would feel this exhilarating feeling of happiness and faith in the future. But the sensation of being in love varies from an individual to an other. I believe that one can consider they are in love while for the same feeling and emotions, an other would not call it such."

I nod, showing I understand, and he goes on.

"Aro and Sulpicia, Caius and Athenodora, and I and Didyme are - were" he becomes silent for a time, before resuming his sentence."-friends on top of being lovers. We cared deeply for each other. I see love as part of being in love, but I have found bounds of 'in-love' based only on lust.

"There is no easy answer to your question. How can we distinguish the different types of love? I do not know. In all my years, love still is a mysterious feeling I do not full grasp. Can one be in love with several people? Maybe. But the second understanding of 'being in love' is to see it as a decision.

"I love Didyme," he illustrates his point, "and she is my mate. I want to be in love with her, and therefor I am and will be, for as long as I am. I can love someone else, but I will never stop loving her, for I decided I did. I care too deeply for her to ever change my mind."

I think his answer over, kissing his neck absentmindedly, brushing my lips against his cold skin. Vampires make very good cooling units in the Italian summer heat.

"Do you think Caius and I will ever love each other?" - In my months here, I grew up and stopped with this petty stubbornness of mine to never call my mate by his name.

I never saw Caius and Athenodora kiss, though Sulpicia assures me that they are far from being shy when only their family is around. Nonetheless, there is no denying my mate's love for his wife. And who wouldn't love the sweet and reserved Queen?

They share fond looks, and smile at each other in complicity. They are do obviously in love. Marcus doesn't seem to agree though.

"Caius and Athenodora will never stop loving each other as friends, which you should by the way take care to always remember. You will face at least mine and Aro's wrath if you ever dare hurt Caius by asking him to chose between you and Athenodora."

I hug Marcus tighter, assuring him I will never think about doing such a mean thing. I would rather live with slight jealousy than not being able to live with myself. Already I decided to ignore the pull I feel and let my mate and his wife be.

"However," Marcus takes up his answer where he left it, digressing. "I think that Caius will, with time, distinguish his live for Athenodora from the pull he cannot help but feel towards you. He will come to learn that he can love you and still live her; you as a mate, she as a friend and sister. But until then, you're mine," he concludes, his satisfaction clear in his tone.

I chuckle, and agree.

"Until then, I'm yours."


	33. Chapter 33

Free! I am free!

Those are my first thoughts as Marcus, always the gentleman, helps me out of the car. This vampire truly is amazing, and there is no wonder he is my heart and soul.

We are at Florence airport, ready to leave Italy for my twin's wedding. Marcus, Demetri, Felix and some guard I don't know called Afton are the official Volturi delegation, and I am going without anyone but my father knowing. Well, he may have told the elders, but I hope everyone had the wit not to tell Bella. Me coming is a surprise.

Aro decided that Diana was subdued enough after his threats to her for me to be allowed to go out a few days. Diana did, in fact, never show herself again openly. She is still there, I can feel her emotions in me, but she doesn't do anything. She hasn't talked nor moved. She was very discrete... but until a few moments ago. Her joy overwhelmed me the moment we pulled up in the airport parking lot.

I know it is not my joy, for she is focused on being free. I myself am focusing on an other matter : if we can ditch my 'personal guard', Alec, Marcus and I could have some... quality time without anyone hearing us. I look forward to more than simple hugs and innocent caresses, and he admitted one night, as he held me in his arms, to be ready for more.

Heaven, I really am hyper. I feel like jumping up and down so excited I am. Did I eat too much sugar or something?

"How long do we have before the flight?" My mouth asks.

_Diana_.

After a few months with her, I got used to her presence, and I am more curious than scared. She seems very happy to be away from Aro - doesn't she realize we are going to see him soon, and he will see through me all what she did? We have no chance to escape. Alec is supposed to stay with me all the time to restrain Diana if she takes over my body, and even if we did manage to leave, Demetri would find us in a few minutes. So what has 'my' vampire so joyful?

Afton, the guard I don't know, looks down at his golden watch.

"Thirty minutes," he says.

My head nods.

"Great. Err... Could I please go to the bathroom? With Alice accompanying me? I'm sure I'll be fine for a few minutes, and I'd rather have a woman with me than Alec.."

Good that she took over, for if she didn't, I would have been laughing. Marcus and the guards have no idea that this is Diana speaking, and not me. Her suggesting that I won't need Alec when I in theory already do...

I am pretty sure Diana did something to calm me the last few months, because I am waaay too hyper today.

Jasper is looking at me strangely, eyebrows raises. Alice is bouncing, golden eyes shining in excitement. I wonder what she saw.

Marcus dismisses Alec's protests with his hand, and orders him to stay here while the Cullen girl accompanies me. I like that a lot, how much Marcus trusts me with my own safety.

I am barely in the bathroom, still not in control of my body, when it giggles.

"Gods, how long I was waiting to leave Volterra! I couldn't plan anything because you, Alice, would have seen it, and Aro too, through you. And keeping you, Anna, calm enough so that you do not wonder about the story Aro gave you... It was exhausting. I am so happy it is over!"

Diana gives me the control over my body back, and I glance at Alice, confused. I am going to answer my guest, but I have to face the Cullen in order to avoid looking as if I am speaking alone.

"Why did you wait for now to show yourself? I understand you couldn't do it in Volterra, but why not before? And you do realize that there is no way we can escape, what with Demetri, so we are going to see Aro again in only one week's time?"

Heaven, there are so many questions I want to ask her. We shared my body for months now, and I still do not know anything about her.

A small wave of sadness hits me.

"I couldn't move before. I wasn't strong enough. Only when Marcus first arrived in Forks and sat close to you for hours did my strength start building. Did you not realize that you started healing better that day? You had a broken knee the morning, and the evening you were able to walk down the stairs, albeit difficultly."

Alice grins from eye to eye, eyes sparkling, as Diana goes on.

"And as for Aro... We will not see him again as soon as he thinks we will. First, I want to spend some time with Marcus, as do you, and second, I have to teach you how to seduce Caius. And that entails making him chase for us. We will take Demetri with us, it shouldn't be so hard to convince him to, with Marcus' help. He has always been one for challenge and will not know which of his Masters he should obey. We will only have to find a way to convince Aro that I am no threat to him. I don't know how we will do this, but we will."

Diana speaks fast, and I find following her very difficult. She is at least as cheerful and excited as Aro is on his best days! She acts and feels as if she is soon going to live the most thrilling and beautiful moments of her life.

"For all I know, you are an enemy of the Volturi," I say carefully, seeing Alice grin _further_. What I wouldn't give to know what she foresaw! But it is clear that Diana is no threat to me.

My 'guest' actually takes a few moments to think.

"Ask Marcus who is Diana. Please, do it. But first, we should use the restroom. We are meant to be here for that after all."

I do not want to know how vampires can tell if I've been to the toilets or not. _Please tell me they can't actually smell it._

It would be even more awkward as when I dared ask Alice about periods. I wanted to know how the vampires could stand the smell of blood. Well, apparently, a woman in her period is everything but appetizing. Period blood smells really funny, Alice explained. I liked that it made it safer to be around vampires, but I sure as hell didn't like the idea of vampires smelling such things. Which is strange, considering how fine I was with the idea that they can smell arousal...

I am really weird. I don't think I will ever understand myself.

We then go on the plane, and wait for the signal that the runway is free - or so I assume.

I am sitting in front of Marcus, the four guards and two Cullens all with us. The pilot and copilot are vampires too I was told at some point, but I never saw them.

The plane finally starts driving faster, picking up speed, and finally comes the moment the wheels leave the ground. We are flying.

Despite my curiosity, I wait until the pilot announces we are done taking off before asking the big question to Marcus.

I know Aro told me to never mention Diana, but I am so curious... And I can't believe I swallowed all the bullshit he served me without questions. That must be what Diana meant when she said she had to calm me so that I didn't wonder about the story. I am not stupid, I know Aro didn't tell me the full truth. Hell, he spoke as if I would have spoken if I was trying to manipulate someone by using their emotions only.

"Hum... Marcus?"

"Yes Anna?" he smiles at me encouragingly.

Heaven, I hope I am not going to regret this.

"Well, I heard her being mentioned by some guards, and I was wondering... Who is Diana?"


	34. Chapter 34

_**Previously: **_

_"Well, I heard her being mentioned by some guards, and I was wondering... Who is Diana?"_

* * *

"Diana?" Marcus repeats, glancing out the round window into the wide blue sky. For a while, he doesn't answer, just stare out.

"You are aware that Aro, Caius and I come from ancient Greece, yes?" He finally asks, still not looking at me.

Sadness. Longing.

Calm.

And indeed, as I look into Marcus' face, I can see that his melancholy and mourning of a past long gone are back full force. Diana, inside me, is restless. She doesn't attempt to take control, but I can still feel my hand twitching, and I know that it is not because of me. I myself have a sense of foreboding as I try to figure out where Marcus is going with this.

"I know, some time around 1500 BC, yes?"

He tilts his head in confirmation, turning to stare at me. His gaze, however, is unfocused, lost in memories.

"Caius, Athenodora and I actually are even half a dozen centuries older than that. We three lived for over four millennia. By the time we were born, the names Caius and Marcus didn't even exist. We chose them later, when we first moved to Italy in 300 BC."

Wow. I don't think I will ever fully grasp how old my mate is. Athenodora's speech about how to enjoy the passing of time by not caring for anything else but family seems to hold even more meaning now. It would have been needed to stand seeing so many civilisations raise and fall, and so many things get lost in the sand of time. The Middle Ages must have been especially hard, what with all the Roman and Greek culture and knowledge that was forgotten.

But where does Diana fit into all of that...? Marcus soon answers me as he goes on.

"Diana was the name Didyme chose for herself."

_NO_, is my first reaction. _NO WAY._

My mind is blank, numbed by shock. I can't believe it. I am pretty sure my brain short-circuited.

_No fucking way! _

Diana is Didyme. I have Aro's sister and Marcus' beloved mate inside of me. She is not dead. She is alive! Through me! Marcus' mourning can end!

Blue Heaven, and I was looking forward to us sleeping together - it will now be so much _more_. It will be two lovers that death parted for about one thousand years reuniting. I feel so privileged to have the right to see this!

And to live it. Dia - Didyme and I share a body after all.

Aro.

Aro knew who she was. The DNA must have shown up to be close to _his_. He knew she was his sister, and he threatened to _kill_ her. How could he?

_"She nearly destroyed the Volturi _by accident_ once."_ That is what Aro said. And Diana - no, Didyme, she was so shameful and so full of regret as we spoke with Athenodora and Sulpicia.

_"Is suffering all I have to offer to the people close to me?"_

_"Everything is _my fault_. Every pain is _my fault_."_

I cannot hear Didyme's thoughts, which are in her soul, but emotions go through the body too, and the feelings I had that day were clear.

_"Will I ever stop messing with how things are meant to turn out?"_

Dia - _DIDYME_ and I _really_ need to talk. What did she do?

"Anna?" Marcus asks softly, laying a hand upon my shoulder.

Tears escape my eyes.

Does he know why he is so attracted to me? Can he feel his wife in me?

Is my love for him mine or hers?

"Anna?" Marcus is really concerned now.

I want nothing more than to stand up and go around the table to sit down in his lap. I want to cry against his shoulder, and I want him to hold me. Diana wants it too, though it is her fear of never being forgiven that drives her. She wants to erase all what happened, and to be with her husband, her brother and her family again.

She wants Aro to forgive her and to hold her in his arms, whispering that it is alright, and that he will always love her.

This is too much. Too many feelings... I gasp.

"Jasper?" I can faintly hear Marcus ask.

Soon after, calm starts spreading in me, and I can breath again through my sobs.

Marcus is now kneeling next to me. I lean down into his embrace, falling out of my seat into his arms.

"Could we speak privately tonight? Without any guard here?" I beg.

I know he is meant to go to the Cullens with Felix, Demetri and Afton, and that I am to go to my father's, Alec hiding in the woods next to the house, but I cannot wait after the wedding. I have to figure out what happened one thousand years ago, and I have to help Didyme get her family back. I want Marcus to have her back.

He loves her and she loves him, I am sure the mistake she did is not enough to keep them apart. Furthermore, I am certain she will do her best now to avoid repeating her errors.

But first, I have to know what happened.

I take a deep breath and try to stand.

Marcus helps me up, his eyes so full of emotions that they are unreadable. He is smart, I know he perfectly realized that knowing about Diana and Didyme being one and the same was what set me off.

Words in a language I do not understand come out of his mouth. Ancient Egyptian I guess.

Didyme steers and I feel her melting into me. We become one, and my hearing improves.

I wonder once again if we really are two different persons as I speak up as both she and I.

"I am sorry," I say, in the same language Marcus spoke to me. "I wasn't listening properly."

He gasps, and so does Demetri, I notice absent-mindedly.

"You are right, we really need to talk," my love murmurs.


	35. Chapter 35

Marcus and I are staring at each other silently. He is confused, and hopeful. I force myself to be calm, as Didyme panics.

"It would have been better to have this conversation in a private setting," I sigh, "but I suppose that no one being able to understand us will have to do. Nevertheless, we should maybe take this into another room?"

The King nods and turns to walk away, without trying to take my hand in his. I hum in my thoughts, in an attempt to calm Didyme, and follow him into the bedroom of the plane.

I close the door behind me, though I know it isn't soundproof. I can perfectly hear the guards trying to make Demetri explain what is happening, but the Greek vampire isn't saying anything, arguing that their Master will tell them what they need to know. I suspect the tracker already has a pretty good idea of what is going on. How Didyme thought she could keep this a secret from Aro is a mystery. Is she planning on making them all avoid going back to Volterra? I am beginning to see that she is not one for thinking things through, though it is understandable in this case. She couldn't plan anything during the last months, as her brother would have fished it out of Alice's mind, and she was too excited by the prospect of being reunited with her mate to wait any longer.

Marcus is sitting on the bed, watching me, and I move to join him, although keeping a small distance between us. This is going to be awkward, at least until we know how to behave with each other. The best would be to talk things through, and to make love afterwards if forgiveness is given, or at least that is what I think. The awkwardness shouldn't be left to linger, and I doubt Marcus would know how to act with his mate after all these years. I am certainly not planning on letting them sit away from each other, pretending all is fine, while gazing longingly at the other's back.

"You probably figured it out," I begin, "but I suppose that a confirmation would be welcome. I would want one, if I was at your place. I am Anna, and I am also D-"

Should I say her name, since the guards would be perfectly able to hear it, even if they won't understand the sentence it is in?

"I am Anna, and your wife is the one living through me."

Marcus closes his eyes. He is still as a statue, but I know emotions are raging through him even before Jasper gives me an insight into them. Heaven I love this Cullen.

Hope. Joy. Fear. Confusion.

Calm.

I want to help Marcus through this, but I do not know what to say, so I decide upon being completely open and honest.

"I have to admit, I do not know where I end and where she begins. We share a body, and I can feel her emotions. However, I do not have her memories. Are we two different beings? Maybe. Probably."

Which is unfortunate, because I came to love Marcus. This whole situation is oh-so-very weird.

"And I think it is her turn to speak," I whisper to myself, but the King hears it too. His eyes snap open and he watches me crumble as tears well up.

Didyme is the next to speak.

"I am so sorry," she cries, sobs shaking my whole body.

Marcus closes he eyes again as he asks, in a barely audible murmur:

"Why? Why did you do that?"

My patience is getting very thin as the subject is brought up once more, and I still do not know what Didyme did. Hopefully, I will finally get it once she explains her motives...

But I am only angry at her as she doesn't answer and curls back into me. Hey! I am supposed to be the immature one here!

_Fuck_. Of course I am left to deal with it.

"Marcus? It is Anna again." This really sounds as if Didyme and I were passing a phone between us. This is sooo _weird_.

"Can I... hug you?" I ask shyly. Heaven, I would never have guessed a few minutes ago that I would ever ask this question. I do not like _at all _how vulnerable it makes me. I dread the very possible refusal. From Marcus, it would probably be a gentle one, but it would still hurt.

The vampire doesn't answer, and instead grabs my waist and pulls me to him.

I settle on his lap, straddling him, and hide my face against his shoulders. I put one arm up at the base of his neck, holding us together, and with the other I reach for the small of his back, trailing my fingers there in what I aim to be a soothing gesture.

Marcus hugs me back, and we stay like that for a few minutes.

"This is all very confusing," the King finally murmurs.

"It is not the most usual occurrence," I agree, mumbling in his shoulder.

He chuckles, but I doubt that it is out of mirth.

"It certainly isn't."

I breath his sent in deeply, steadying myself for the question I have to ask.

"Marcus?"

"Yes, Anna?"

"What _did_ happen all those years ago? Why is Didyme so unsure and full of regret?"

Marcus straightens suddenly.

"Not. One. Word," he growls threateningly. "None of you is allowed to speak about this without my express permission, is it understood?"

He must be speaking to the guards. Only now do I realize that my hearing is back to normal. My vampire guest retreated, and I must have been speaking English again.

I have barely time to register Marcus' hand on my cheek - I moved to look up when he spoke - before his lips crash down on mine.

I kiss him back. If he has no problem seeking comfort from his lover, even knowing she shares a body with his wife, I certainly have no problem giving him what he wants. I know Didyme is also fine with it - since Marcus came to Forks, she has always been content when he acted affectionately towards me.

Is she... Is she hoping he ends up with me instead of with her?

Aro's words come back to me. He said she was the most unstable vampire to ever exist, didn't he? After the last few hours, I believe him. Or at least, I think that he was partially right, even if he did probably exaggerate. Didyme doesn't know what she wants. She went from excited, hopeful and happy to self-hating and ashamed. One hour ago or so, she was all for being reunited with Marcus, now she hides and seems to want him to go over her.

I wonder if it is her love that makes her behave this way. She fears hurting him again, does she think he will be better off with me?

I have never played match-maker before. How the hell am I supposed to help Marcus and Didyme go back together?

One name crosses my mind. Yes, I will seek his help. It may be the biggest mistake I can make... But he is also my best bet.


	36. Chapter 36

Marcus pulls back for a few second, letting a breathless me inhale some oxygen. As soon as I lay my lips back on his, our kiss starts again. I have the feeling he is trying to lose himself in my embrace, and I certainly do not mind the passion.

His tongue slips between my lips, parting them, and I open my mouth dutifully, eager and curious. We never kissed with in this way before, which I assumed to be because it would make it more difficult for him to keep himself from biting me. Now though, we know that Didyme will protect my body from getting hurt. Indeed, Marcus' tongue already feels less cold to me as it caresses mine. But it is his teeth nibbling on my lips that confirm my suspicion. A certain someone strengthen the skin of my mouth into the one of a vampire.

Our tongues brush against each other one last time, and Marcus pulls back again, sighting, eyes black and shining, as I look up at him, struggling to get my breathing under control.

I definitely am eager for our 'first night together'. But we are not going to sleep together now, even if we certainly are ready to - neither of us like the idea of the guards listening in.

"Was that a diversion?" I ask Marcus.

"Not in English," he answers simply, caressing my cheek with his thumb.

The tingle on my tongue informs me that my skin is turning back to a human one.

And Marcus knows how to calm down Didyme, for she immediately melts back into me, although she leaves me in control. I wonder if he will kiss me every time she freaks out. I certainly wouldn't mind.

Maybe I won't have to play match-maker after all.

"Do you know what Didyme's gift was? Or rather, -is?" Marcus asks me, in Egyptian.

I shake my head.

"She makes people happy," he explains. "As a side effect, people like her, irrationally so sometimes."

He closes his eyes, and I brace myself for the difficult revelation I know will follow.

"When she asked for something, it was impossible to deny her."

I gasp. I do not want to think of the implications of this. Was Didyme even aware of what she was doing?

Marcus goes on, his eyes still close.

"She wanted to see the world, and asked me to leave with her."

_Riiiight. And what about that?_ Heaven, I am one impatient girl. It takes all my will power for me to listen without asking for him to speak faster.

"I knew of the dangers. We were in the middle of a war with the Werewolves, and a fight with the Romanian coven was already foreseeable. I knew we had to stay in Volterra: for her safety, but also because Aro and Caius needed me - needed us. Unlike the two other Queens, her power made Didyme a very useful asset. When she was at her best, she could stop a feral werewolf set on killing, and make it curl up in happiness.

"But she asked me to leave with her. I tried to convince her to leave later, when it would be safe and the Volturi could do without us for a few months or years," Marcus explains, and I get the feeling that he is trying to justify his actions. Does he blame himself for not managing to convince her?

"But she didn't want to wait, and against my better judgement, I agreed." Marcus bows his head down on my shoulder.

"Aro keeps saying it was her power affecting me, and I wonder if it wasn't my own stupidity and desire to please her."

He breathes deeply and goes on, holding me firmly against him.

"She died the day before the one we were to leave. There was no body, but the bond showed she was dead. Demetri couldn't find her anymore. She had gone out of the castle to hunt before our departure, and simply never came back."

I finish the story silently. _Aro tried to convince her to stay and still, she refused. He killed her._

My throat is dry, and tears gather in my eyes. I like Aro too much to be able to blame him. I cannot help but try to justify his actions. Didyme's shame and sadness make it even more easier. She forgave him and longs for him to forgive her too. Who am I to keep a grudge if she doesn't? She knows the ins and outs of the situation way better than I ever will. She was there, I wasn't even born.

I wish Didyme could hear my thoughts. _Girl! It's time to apologize! It is not only Aro whom you hurt, but Marcus too!_

But she doesn't seem to have understood that, and I am deeply remembered of Bella and I, when we were children. Several times our mother berated us for not asking for forgiveness, and we would be very confused, because we didn't understand why we had to. _"But we didn't want to make him fall! It was an accident!" "But she was the one to suggest Bella uses her jacket. Why should Bella apologize for falling? She hurt herself, and didn't tear the jacket on purpose."_

I feel ashamed like my mother must have as I apologize in Didyme's stead.

"Whatever happened, it wasn't your fault," I try to comfort Marcus. This time, I realize that I am back to speaking English. Didyme better be still listening.

Before I can go on, my body's guest catches up.

My arms start hurting as she holds on to Marcus in a bones crushing embrace.

"Of course it wasn't!" she cries out in... Greek? It doesn't sound like Egyptian. And how can I even understand it anyway?

"I was so stupid. Please, please forgive me? I never wanted to hurt or manipulate you, and you certainly did nothing wrong. It was my fault. I was so set on what I wanted, I didn't think it through. I should have listened, but I didn't. I didn't realize you didn't chose to change your mind. It was only with Anna that I started to realize how my gift could influence people."

Wait. -What? What the f***?

But I do not have time to think about it as she goes on after a short pause to inhale some air.

"I have no idea how much you suffered because of me. I would love to promise you I would never do the same mistake again, but even that I cannot. I do not deserve your forgiveness, or Aro's, or even Caius', Athenodora's, Sulpicia's, Demetri's, Renata's, Chelsea's, Corin's, Pablo's, Theobald's, ..."

Is she naming all the Volturi of the eleventh century?

Thankfully, my body being human, she is forced to take a deep breath. Or, thinking of it, even as a vampire she would have needed air to speak.

"Anyway," she picks up, "I am so, so sorry for everything. For what I did then, and for what I did afterwards."

And she releases me once again, backing inside me, but this time not hiding. My hearing is still heightened, and I can hear Demetri reminding the other guards that they are not to talk about what they overhear.

Marcus is looking at me now, frowning sightly.

"Didyme," he says slowly - in Egyptian, can't they settle for one language? Or is it because some of the guards understand Ancient Greek? - "What did you do afterwards? After dying? You mentioned discovering the extent of your powers only with Anna."

I perk up, very interested in that to. Didyme squirms. My body language must be very confusing right now.

"And how did you even manage to survive and come inside me?" I add, curious, and also very proud of me for speaking a language I don't know. I am amazing like that - doing things I shouldn't be able to do.

Marcus doesn't seem disturbed by me speaking to myself. He only waits calmly for an answer.


	37. Chapter 37

_**Previously: **_

_"What did you do afterwards? After dying? You mentioned discovering the extent of your powers only with Anna." _

_"And how did you even manage to survive and come inside me?" _

* * *

"All this isn't one big coincidence," Didyme begins. I notice absent-mindedly that Marcus didn't yet accept her apologies. Did he chose not to, or is he waiting for her answer to decide?

"Or at least, the only coincidence is that the Cullens live in Forks and that Anna's twin sister is Edward's singer and fell in love with him. I managed to enter Anna _because_ she is Caius' mate. When I died, I didn't _leave_. I was hanging on to you, and to Aro, and through you, to Sulpicia and Caius."

Didyme pauses for a few seconds.

"It is hard to explain, and you understand bonds better than I do."

"But Anna doesn't." Did I ever point out how amazing Marcus is?

My body sighs.

"When I died," Didyme resumes, "I could still feel the two people I love the most: Marcus and Aro. It was as if ropes where between us. I couldn't see anymore, I couldn't feel _anything_ anymore, like when Alec trained with us those past three months, but there were these ropes I could follow like Ariadne's thread."

Count on the Ancient Greek vampire to use Greek Mythology references.

"Marcus, Aro and Caius are very close to each other, and because of that, when I followed the ropes up to one of them, I could find other ropes."

She really does know how to explain things clearly.

My thoughts must have been obvious in my feelings, for Didyme clarifies:

"When I died, I chose randomly to follow one of the two ropes. I found Aro's soul, which was like a crystal ball of light in the darkest fog. Dying really felt like Alec's gift." She clears her -_my_ voice. "Anyway, I found Aro's soul, and I stayed there for a time, not eager to leave it. But there was three ropes I could see coming out from the crystal ball, on top of the one linking to me. With time, I had the courage to follow them. There is a triangle of ropes between Aro, Marcus and Caius, one thick rope between Aro and Sulpicia, and one between Aro and I, and one between Marcus and I."

Didyme waits, obviously waiting for the bonds expert's approval.

He tilts his head.

"Those are the soul bonds in our family," he confirms.

"And Athenodora?" I cut in, surprised. Why wasn't each of them bound to the five others of they family? And at least Caius should have been bound to the one he loves, shouldn't he?

"Bonds between souls are very different from love bonds," Marcus explains.

Bonds between souls. Bonds between souls, and Didyme who managed to enter me _because_ I am Caius' mate...

"So when I was born, a new rope appeared, linking Caius to me?" I guess.

Didyme's sadness hits me before she answers.

"Thankfully, it appeared much earlier. I had been waiting for Caius' mate for a long time, which I now know to be nearly ten centuries. When the rope appeared, I immediately followed it, hoping that I could maybe use Caius' mate' birth to come back to life myself. It was a crazy idea, and I am still very surprised it worked."

"You are digressing my love," Marcus chuckles.

Didyme and I nearly have a heart attack and giddiness fills us both. There was no mistaking Marcus' affection in his voice, and the term of endearment has us seeing stars.

I swear Didyme and I are soul sisters or something. We are made to share a body. Maybe that's why she could enter me?

Didyme is soon sad again, though a spark of joy remains.

"When I found Anna, which I did as soon as possible, having been watching over Caius' soul bonds, I found a very small orb whose light was flickering. She was dying, when she was barely maybe one week old. I did all I could to force her fetus into creating a vampire cell, and shortly before she died, I succeeded. I found myself out of the fog, back in the real world, controlling my one cell as I could control my body when it had been shattered during my life.

"I used all my strength to duplicate the cell and make others, so I could assist the weak fetus. Caius mate should never have been born. Because I wanted to live, she did. I messed with fate that day, and because of me, Athenodora may lose her husband whose mate should never even have breathed."

She saved me. Bella should never have had a twin sister. Didyme saved me. My life came to the cost of Athenodora and Caius' happiness. But my life also enabled Didyme to live.

Who can judge what would have been for the best? And didn't fate want me and Didyme to live, if it chose me as Caius' mate?

I once heard from one friend of my mother that most children are being conceived with fraternal twins, but that the twin often doesn't develop over two millimetres and dissolves. I don't know if that is true though.

But anyway, I consider my self damn lucky, and my luck has three names: fate, Caius, and Didyme.

I could have never been born at all.

"Anna?" Marcus calls me, pulling me back in his embrace. He kisses my cheek and rubs my hip gently with one hand.

"I'm fine," I murmur. "Just realizing how lucky I am."

"How lucky we all are," Marcus corrects me. "With or without Didyme living in you, the world would have lost a jewel, were you not born."

"Who you are, your ideas, your values, what you did, it is all you, not me," Didyme whispers. "I sometimes helped you, but it was mostly you, who helped me. Never underestimate yourself."

I have many issues, but self-worth was never something I lacked. However, I still very much appreciate the two vampires' sweet words. They are cute, warm and nice, like Marcus' embraces.

I do my best not to think to far ahead. I want to first focus on Marcus and Didyme - only afterwards will I think about what I am to become.

"Thank you. I am happy to be alive too," I say, attempting and failing to sound serious.

Marcus chuckles, and Didyme's amusement fills me.

"Now, what did you mean when you said you discovered only with me how your power could influence people?"

Didyme sighs.

"You were the one to make me realise this. Remember the time you explained what manipulation is to Bella?"

Oh, right. I clarify for Marcus' benefit:

"Bella and I befriended both all Cullens and all shape-shifters very easily. Bella wondered if I had a power similar to Esme's, that would make people like us. She was wondering if it was wrong to use it. I answered that how we act always impacts what people think of us, and what they think of us impacts how they feel, which impacts how they act, and so on and so on. In that sense, every human interaction - or rather simply every interaction is a form of manipulation."

"And I am still wondering if I was using my power without realizing it or not, and it made me question every single thing people did around me in my life," Didyme concludes. "How can I know if people like me because of who I am or because of my gift?"

"Your gift is part of who you are," I answer.

"Listen to Anna, she is very wise," Marcus agrees.

"Hey! Stop stealing my lines about you!"

He laughs - _laughs_, and kisses my lips gently.

Well, someone is happy to have his wife back, and has no trouble with her and I sharing a body. Can I even call this body mine? I wouldn't have it if it wasn't for Didyme, and a huge part of it belongs to her.

Oh, well, if Didyme and I can share Marcus, we can also share a body. This way, I am sure I will never be alone. I have a new best friend for ever!


	38. Chapter 38

It took us a few hours to be ready to leave the bedroom and face the guards - thankfully the flight from Italy to Seattle is a very long one, and we were allowed to stay in the plane during the gas stop. In fact, it is as we take off once more that Marcus, Didyme and I decide to join the others.

Didyme and I - it is hard to explain. We are different beings, her speaking through me cleared my doubts about that, but she was there since shortly after I was conceived, she always was a part of me. These few months of being aware of her presence simply made accepting her even easier. I never lived without her. I don't even know if I can.

I wonder which troubles are brewing, what the future has in store. How will Caius react to learning that, for all intents and purposes, he and Marcus share a mate?

Didyme is still melted into me, heightening my senses, when we arrive in the main room of the plane. The two Cullens and the four Volturi guards are watching us with obvious interest.

"What did you understand?" Marcus asks calmly.

Demetri is the first to find the courage to react - not counting the way Alice is bouncing in her seat, grinning widely at me.

He stands up, and kneels down, bowing his head.

Didyme is bubbling with excitement and affection. Demetri already was a Volturi at the time of her death, and even was the first guard to join the three Kings and the three Queens, or so I remember being told. Didyme, who I suppose to have been much more active in the Volturi organization than her two 'sisters', must have gotten along rather well with him.

"We heard enough to know that our Queen is alive," the tracker says in English, before adding in Ancient Greek: "My Queen, it is a pleasure to have you back. All your guards missed you. All the Volturi missed you, even those who never had the chance to meet you. Your memory never left the walls of the castle, and I need not add that it never left your family. We are all overjoyed to see you reunited with your husband. And if I may be so bold - you chose your host very well."

Didyme laughs.

"Raise, Demetri!" she calls out in English. "It is my delight to see you again. And 'Queen'? Is Anna's slang spreading amongst the guards?"

The tracker stands up, and Aro's sister moves to kiss him on the cheek. She then steps back, spreading her - my - _our_ arms.

"Alec, Felix, Afton, Alice, Jasper, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Didyme."

"And I am Anna," I slip in.

Didyme laughs and the guards stare at us, eyebrows raised.

"It will take some time to get used to you sharing a body," Demetri admits, his tone light. "How do we know if it is Anna or Didyme speaking?"

"It will more often that not be Anna," Didyme replies. "It is her life, I am the intruder."

"Annadyme," Felix tries out. "Annady. Anndyme. Andy."

"Are you renaming my wife?" Marcus asks calmly.

The guard looks up at the tall King sheepishly.

"I am?- I am not? It is the Queens duo that I am trying to name."

"The Queens duo," Marcus repeats, unimpressed. "I hope for you that Caius doesn't hear about you calling Anna a Queen."

I slip my hand into my lover's.

"Am I not a Queen?"

"No you're not."

Both Didyme and I are overjoyed by the sight of Marcus answering me playfully. His mood has brightened over the last three months, but the last few hours did it. His eyes are clearer, sparkling. His personality didn't change, but he is more carefree.

"Am I not?" Didyme insists.

Marcus tilts his head, watching us.

"It depends whether it is still Anna asking, or if it now is Didyme," he says.

Clever. Not for the first time, my feelings illustrate what he meant when he told me that being in love is a state. Right now, as I hear him, as I see him be so happy, I am in love with him. He is amazing.

"See?" Felix says, "Andy. It solves the problem."

Marcus pulls me closer to his chest, and, catching my chin, tilts my head back. He brushes my cheek with the back of one finger.

Did I mention I love him? He is so gentle, so cute, and yet so confident and assured.

I get the feeling Didyme would be purring if she had her own body. She agrees with me.

"Andy..." Marcus murmurs, shaking his head, never breaking eye contact with me. "No, it doesn't fit them. Both Anna and Didyme are too special for such an ordinary name."

"Annyme? That sure is an unusual name," Felix suggests.

Marcus doesn't even grace the suggestion with a verbal answer, only lifting an eyebrow as he glances at Felix.

"Didanna?" The huge guard goes on. "Dianna? Oh, Diana already is Didyme's name."

Diana sure sounds the best, but it is the name I have been using to describe my vampire guest. Including me in it would be strange, as it would be for those who knew Didyme at the time she was being called Diana.

"Dia is fine," I suggest.

"Dia?" Demetri snorts. "It is the name of a grocery store."

This is so complicated.

"Then Diane?" I suggest.

"Or Anna," Didyme adds, "for when you are speaking about me and not about the both of us."

And the flight goes on like this, with all of us speaking lightly, though Didyme now keeps quiet. I think she meant it when she said that this is my life, and that she is an intruder. Does this mean she will let me be in control most of the time, even when I am alone with Marcus?


	39. Chapter 39

_**Do I need to remind you that the rating for this story is M? ;-)**_

* * *

_**Previously: **_

_Does this mean she will let me be in control most of the time, even when I am alone with Marcus?_

* * *

I do not have to wait very long to figure it out. As soon as we land in Seattle, Marcus calls the Cullen, informing them that we will only arrive tomorrow morning. He then gives me the phone so I can also warn my father that I will not be sleeping at home tonight, but will stay in an hotel in Seattle. The time difference makes me very tired, I explain, and I would rather go to bed early to wake up early.

Go to bed early, yes of course. I am sure that it is to make sure I sleep well that Marcus asked the guards and the two Cullens to stay out of hearing distance of the hotel.

I swear Demetri dared give me a knowing smirk before disappearing.

Once I finish my going-to-bed ritual, I stop in front of the mirror in the bathroom. I wish there was a way I could communicate with Didyme without having to whisper to myself.

"What happens now?" I murmur, to give me the illusion of privacy, even though I have no doubt that Marcus can hear me.

"You have fun," Didyme answers, not even bothering to lower our voice.

_'Right._ It has the merit of being clear. She leaves me in control.

I step out of the bathroom.

Marcus is sitting on the edge of the bed, watching me. He says nothing as I walk closer, only smiling gently, and grabbing my waist once I am in his reach.

He pulls me to him, and I move to straddle his lap. Our lips meet.

The kiss doesn't stay innocent for long. Soon, I am breathing into his mouth, our tongues caressing whenever we aren't nibbling on each other's lips. My hands are on his shoulders, and his are on my waist, pressing me against his chest. My whole body is tingling with anticipation.

Marcus moves away from my mouth to let me breathe and instead starts trailing open-mouthed kisses on my neck. I gasp, grasping his hair as I arch myself against him.

I once regretted not being able to focus completely on him as he kissed me. I do not have this problem now. In this locked bedroom, with no vampire nearby that may hear us, I feel safe. I give myself to the sensations Marcus' touch creates in me.

His colds hands slip under my shirt, moving up my back, taking my shirt with them. I lift my arms, and he throws my shirt away. I don't know why I bothered dressing up for the night. Maybe because I liked the idea of him undressing me?

My bare breasts press into his chest as he goes on, caressing my back, kissing my neck, my jaw, my lips.

I sigh in pleasure. I don't know how long I will stand the temperature difference between our skins, but for now it simply is perfect. I am flushed, my body is warm, and his touch is cooling me all while making me warm up even more.

I release his silky dark locks, and move to unbutton his shirt. Marcus lays back slightly to give me the space I need to move my hands between us, thus also freeing my breasts from between us.

"You are gorgeous," he whispers, his hands trailing up my sides. His thumbs brush my breasts once before he catches me and pushes me down his lap onto the bed.

I am now laying on my back, staring up at him as he admires me.

"And you are wearing too many clothes," I answer. Even though I find my curves beautiful, I cannot help but feel self-conscious under the tall King's gaze. Bringing my attention back to him is the first idea that came to me. And he _does_ wear too many clothes.

Marcus finishes unbuttoning his shirt and throws it carelessly away, leaving his perfectly carved torso bare for me to gaze at. I lift a hand up to touch his pectorals. I do not dare touch his nipples - it feels too... intimate.

_You are going to make love. Isn't is even more intimate?_

Marcus brings his hands to my chest, first creating butterfly in my belly as his fingers trail over it, and then caressing my breasts. They weight down in his hands and I sigh in pleasure, arching my back to press them further into his palms. The two orbs of flesh nearly fit in his large hands, I notice absent-mindedly, making his touch so more enticing than my own.

My chest is aflame with pleasure, all my nerves stand ready to catch the slightest sensation. Never before have I been more aware of each single part of my body.

My breasts are flushed under Marcus' care, as are my neck and my lips as he keeps bowing down to kiss them. My hands explore his own chest, feeling each square millimetre of his skin as they trail along the lines of his muscles. My legs are around his, keeping him pining me to the bed.

Curious, I shift around, trying to find out if he has an erection, and if I can feel it.

He does, and I can. He groans into my mouth.

He must have been waiting for me to make a step on my own, for he now takes over again, moving to the next stage.

A light and cold pressure against my belly is the only warning I have before his fingers slip under my pyjama pants, slowly finding their way between my legs.

I gasp and pant as I offer myself to his touch.

His fingers explore my folds, before he pulls my pants down completely, and I end up laying naked under his watchful gaze. His eyes turned black at some point, and all hints of red have disappeared from them, replaced by lust and desire.

"You are magnificent," I whisper. Because he is. His beauty has always been obvious, but as he kneels, half naked between my legs, his eyes full of desire, I know that no sight can be more perfect than the one in front of me.

"And you are too tempting," Marcus purrs, leaning back on me to kiss my lips. His tongue demands access to my mouth and I give it to him, nearly managing to forget about his fingers still exploring my wet folds - the part of my body I find the least beautiful, and am the most uncomfortable showing him.

"Shhhh," he murmurs against my lips. "Relax."

I cannot decide between focusing on his kisses or on the sensation his fingers are procuring me as they brush and stroke sensitive parts of me.

As I am getting used to him touching me like that, Marcus lifts himself off of me once more, this time to move down the bed. He kisses my belly, before going down to my folds.

Pleasant, it certainly is. My whole body is tingling, I am swimming in an ocean of pleasure and of sweet caresses. Only the pressure of my aching button is slightly uncomfortable, making me wish this doesn't last too long. Without it, I could have spent eternity just laying like this, enjoying Marcus' touch.

The King must be feeling my impatience, for his tongue starts stroking me more firmly, and he slides fingers into me.

A shiver goes through me, making my legs shake as it passes them, but I do not feel as if "released" until Marcus pulls away. Was _this_ an orgasm? I don't know. Maybe? It isn't as wonderful as I think reaching my climax should be. I like the surrounding sensations, those that brought me hight, more than I liked this peak.

I am breathing heavily, calming down, cooling down, as Marcus stands up to remove his pants. I watch with rapt attention. I cannot remember ever seeing a naked man - pictures, drawings, paintings and sculptures don't count.

Didyme's amusement surprises me. She has been very discrete, enjoying Marcus' touch like I did, her feelings so alike mine I didn't notice them.

"Didyme?" I whisper, curious. Marcus' eyes go straight to mine. Naked, he walks up to me, coming to kneel between my legs again, still staring at me intensely.

If a baby can pass between a woman's legs as she births them, he should be able to enter me without problem, I rationalize. It shouldn't hurt much more than pulling a tampon out, right?

"It is nothing important," Didyme answers my question and her husband's curious gaze, laughing slightly. "A thought simply crossed my mind. If Anna ever sleeps with Caius, she may be... disappointed when she compares it to sleeping with you."

Marcus laughs out loud.

I wonder what she means. Is my mate less... Physically gifted than hers? I don't even know if Marcus is average or above. I have no previous experience to compare him with. But I cannot imagine him being _under_ average. He is perfect, and big is often considered as better, yes? And more objectively - he _seems_ perfectly proportionate, and is a very tall man.

I never made a study of cocks - I very likely never will. So I will have to trust my instinct on it.

Or Didyme's knowledge if I can speak with her without anyone overhearing. And how does she even have knowledge about Caius' penis anyway?

Oh heaven, good that I am meant to be flustered, or the extra wave of wetness would have been embarrassing. My imagination is running wild too easily.

"I will have to have words with Aro," Marcus murmurs. "I am not sure I want to know all what he shared with you."

Did Aro use his gift to make a study about sexual relations so he could educate Didyme? Weird. Well, I suppose sex-ed didn't exist back then, and she had no one to go too for trustworthy informations.

I close my legs around Marcus' waist, trying to focus my thoughts back on him. I don't want to picture Aro telling Didyme about Caius' sexual attributes, damn it!

Or at least, not tonight.

Marcus lays back on me, kissing me and caressing me, bringing us back to the state we were in before Didyme's intervention. The only difference is that he is now naked, and I am more relaxed. I wonder if she did that on purpose.

Whoever told me that the first time doesn't necessarily hurt if the woman is relaxed was right. After the quick and sharp pain of my hymen breaking, my walls adjust to the foreign presence easily. I find myself enjoying being full and stretched, enjoying being touched so deeply, and most of all, enjoying seeing Marcus struggle to keep his countenance as he moves inside of me.

The hight of tonight's activities comes as he cums inside me, groaning against my neck. The pleasure and pride I feel as he relaxes against me are all I need to conclude that yes, sex with Marcus is amazing.

Note to myself: I should definitely do this again.


	40. Chapter 40

Cold lips kissing my neck wake me up. I hum and snuggle deeper in my nest of warm blankets. Marcus is behind me, holding me against his chest, as he often does when watching over me.

"You will have to wake up, my dear," the vampire murmurs, his deep voice sending shivers through my body.

"How long can I stay in bed?" I whisper back. I always whisper in the morning until I am fully awake.

"It depends on whether you would like to eat in the hotel or in the car," Marcus answers in between kisses.

Then there is enough time fore me to enjoy my morning.

I turn around to face Marcus, who growls lowly as I free my neck from his mouth, and soon presses me back against his chest, lowering his lips to mine.

"How do you feel?" He asks as I pull back to breathe.

"I feel amazing," I tell him honestly. "I am a little sore, but I do not mind. I've always enjoyed playing with aching muscles after having done some workout, this isn't very different."

"So you liked it?"

"Of course! It was perfect. I hope we will do it again," I answer before kissing his mouth. His lips smile against mine.

"It would be my pleasure," he whispers.

His tongue soon finds its way to mine and his hands slip under the blankets to my still bare breasts.

Neither of us is eager to get up.

However, we have some important things to do today - like driving to Forks, dressing up for the wedding, and going to said wedding; so Alice makes sure we do not stay in bed too long.

She knocks and calls for us to get ready to leave.

Marcus growls softly against my skin, his mouth releasing my breast as he pulls himself up.

"I believe the corridor is not out of hearing range from the hotel," he states coldly.

"I am sorry, Marcus," the Cullen girl replies from behind the locked door. "However, we really should leave soon if Anna is to have time to dress up for the wedding. She also has a phone call to make."

I do?

Whom did I plan to call, and what about?

Oh - right.

After a last kiss, Marcus helps me out of the bed.

"It would be faster if you do not help her," Alice's voice says.

The King growls lowly, but doesn't enter the bathroom.

"Next time maybe?" I offer, disappointed. I very much enjoyed our shower the night before, even if I was already half asleep by then, laying lazily against him. It was very sweet, but I think today's shower would have been more passionate. Never mind, I am sure Marcus and I will have plenty other opportunities to shower together.

"Gladly," the vampire murmurs. I am already looking forward to it, and I have the feeling Didyme does too.

oOo

"So, what happens next?" I ask as we are driving to Forks.

Alice answers me, thankfully keeping her eyes on the road.

"We are bringing you to your house, and then we will go to mine to get ready. Emily, Sue and Leah are already with your father, and will help you dress up. I'm going to help Bella. At 4 pm, the wedding begins."

"4 pm?" I repeat. "That's why you had me hurry this morning? I don't need eight hours to put a dress on! And Rosalie can start helping Bella while you're not there."

"Believe me, you will have to cut your call short. By the way, use Skype. International phone calls are very expensive."

And then, Alice lets go of the steering wheel to grab a sheet of paper and a pen from her bag. It only takes two seconds, but it's _scary_. Vampires and their driving!

Nevertheless, I thank her as she hands me the folded piece of paper.

Fifteen minutes later, I step out of the car and walk up alone to my Dad's house. Before I reach the door, it opens.

"Dad!" I shout, running to hug him.

"Anna," he greets me, "good to see you, kiddo. How was Italy?"

And soon I find myself in the living room, chatting excitedly with my father and the three Quileutes women who came over.

"Any boyfriend in Italy?" Dad asks after what must have been four very long hours for him.

I can't help but smile.

"Yes Dad. He's a friend of the Cullens. In fact, he's the one I stayed with in Italy."

"Marcus? Billy told me about him. He's a good guy apparently. But isn't he a bit too old for you?"

You have no idea Dad, you have no idea.

"I'm eighteen, Dad. And teenagers are immature and annoying. Look at Edward! Can you imagine me falling in love with someone like him?"

My father frowns at me over the lunch table.

"How old is he?" he asks slowly.

Shit. Were I with Caius, it would be easier to tell my Dad. Marcus and Caius have nearly the same age - more than three millennia, give or take a few centuries. For me, it makes no difference. But one looks in his early twenty, and the other was turned at... thirty maybe? It is hard to give Marcus an age. His eyes are too wise, but his immortality make him look young enough.

Honestly, twelve years difference is OK. However, I doubt Dad will agree.

Didyme must have felt my hesitation, for she takes control and answers, so that my father does not get too suspicious.

"Twenty. It isn't Marcus, but his youngest brother, Caius."

What?! Shit, shit, shit. This lie is so going to bite me in the ass at some point, I know it.

Traitor!

Or saviour. Maybe.

"He's going to be at the wedding?"

"No, he has too much work, and doesn't like Edward anyway."

"He's not a student?"

I squirm. Leah and Emily are smiling at me knowingly, and even Sue seems to be enjoying my discomfort as I am being questioned.

"He helps Aro, his other brother, run their company."

"And what does this company do?"

_Someone, please help me!_ I cry silently.

Ah, screw it. What is the best thing to do when you are a bad liar and your parents ask too many questions? Tell them the truth! Especially if it is less believable than any lie you can come up with.

"It's not really a company. They're the rulers of the vampire world."

Didyme's hilarity soon makes me smile. I have no doubt that she would be laughing if she could.


	41. Chapter 41

_**Previously:**_

_"It's not really a company. They're the rulers of the vampire world."_

* * *

"Sure. Am I supposed to believe that?" Dad asks, starting to eat again.

"Not really, no," I giggle.

The questioning is over. Should I use this opportunity to admit that 'I' lied by saying that Caius is my lover?

Do I want my Dad to know who I am in love with? Do I want Marcus and I to behave like a couple during the wedding?

Yes, and yes.

I take a deep breath.

"And I have to admit that it is Marcus whom I am with. But please - no questions, you'll meet him at the wedding. And no, he isn't too old for me."

_Please Alice, please, please, please. I'm counting on you._

She will not let the wedding be anything less than perfect, I am sure. I hope she will find a way to keep my Dad from making a scene.

How old _is_ Marcus physically? His vampire skin is so perfect, I doubt anyone can think him to be over thirty. And how young can he look with the right clothes and hairstyle?

"How old is he?"

"Twenty four," Didyme lies. "But no questions, please."

She looks at my watch.

"Blue heaven! It is already 1pm! We have to be there in three hours! It was good to speak with the four of you, but we really have to get ready!"

And she runs up to my bedroom, where she lets me back in control.

I fall on my bed, chuckling. Six years difference is already too much for my poor Dad. I have never been so thankful for the idea that women need hours to get ready. Not that it isn't sometimes true. When am I to make my call? After the wedding?

My excitement dies down quickly at the reminder of the unpleasant task in front of me. I take Alice's sheet of paper out of my pocket and unfold it. Volturi Skype contact is written on the paper, as well as a short message:

_**Call him BEFORE the wedding. But get ready first!**_

I wonder why it is so important that I call him before the wedding. It is nearly midnight in Italy, but the hour of the call doesn't matter since Aro doesn't sleep. And the guards wouldn't dare call him without Marcus' authorization.

I have no time to dwell on it as I hear someone come up the stairs. I hide Alice's message inside a drawer as Emily and Leah enter.

"Twenty-four? Marcus looks older than that!" Leah exclaims. "And since when are you with him?"

Oh, great. I escaped one questioning only to get another.

"Can't you wait a few minutes please, Leah?" Emily berates her, making me smile at her in thanks. "Here's your dress, it came by mail at my home a few days ago."

She hands me a package. Volterra, the post stamp indicates. I take a quick breath in, surprised, and lay the package on the bed before opening it.

"Wow," Leah murmurs, expressing my thoughts as I lift the dress up to see it better.

It is a pale green ball gown. The shape in itself is rather modest. The cleavage will show the top of my breasts probably, but not more, and the shoulder straps are wide enough to hide my bra. The top looks form-fitting, and the dress opens up at the waist, but not overly so. It seems long enough to brush the ground when I walk.

"I can't wear that," I protest softly. "Bella is supposed to be the girl of the day."

"Nonsense. I have no doubt that Alice made sure your sister's dress outshines all others. Now put it on!" Emily orders.

I obey. To be honest, I want to wear this dress. It is beautiful enough to be one Athenodora would wear, but it is not sexy enough for Sulpicia - Meaning that the gown is elegant, and that my father will not have a heart-attack seeing me wearing it. I missed prom and graduation, but I know that tonight will be far more amazing than those two events could have ever been. It will be Bella's big day, and I will be at Marcus' arm.

I still fear my Dad's reaction as I will come down - after all, he freaked out when he thought Bella was with Emmett, who is only one year older than me, and before running up to my bedroom, I admitted to having a boyfriend _six years _older than me. Which is stupid, really. He is several thousands years older than me. How does it matter, how old he looks, if it is between eighteen and fifty years old?

Well, I admit it can be disturbing to see a eighteen-years-old young woman with a mature man. But Marcus is far from looking as old, and I trust he will look even younger with the right clothes. How pathetic am I, being so eager to see him tonight? He will be gorgeous, as usual, I am sure. And how will I look next to him? I hope Alice is planning to take some photos!

I do not regret telling my father about me being with Marcus. It would have been horrible to force myself to stay away from him, when we could be enjoying the evening together, as a couple.

"You look wonderful," Leah compliments. "Now, sit down, and let us do your hair and make up."

I turn around, enjoying how the fabric of the dress flies around my legs and falls back softly on them.

I then move to sit down. My bum barely touched the bed that Leah growls at me:

"So. Marcus. Explain."

I shrug.

"There isn't so much to explain, really. You saw how well we hit it off when we met in Forks, and we only got closer. We fell in love, and we're together. Oh, and it turned out yesterday that the vampire inside of me is his late mate."

"I'm sorry?" Emily says, at the same time Leah reacts.

"You're kidding, right?"

They keep combing my hair however, and I smile, enjoying the soft pressure on my scalp.

"No, I'm not kidding. It's complicated."

"Sure sounds like it. You'll tell us all about it, but first: what about pale face? Your blond mate?"

I sigh. Do I wish I were with Caius? Yes, and no. Yes, because my heart calls for him. I may not love him yet, but the pull is there, and always will be. No, because I am already happy with Marcus, he is all I want and need. I am in love with him.

"Mates are not like imprints. We feel a pull towards each other, but that's all. We both are in love with someone else, and the mating bond isn't enough to eclipse or change our feelings."

"I can't decide if it's better than imprinting or not," Leah admits. "Even if Sam wasn't head over heals in love with Em, it would have been awkward to stay with him, knowing full well he is meant to be with her."

"Neither Athenodora nor Marcus seems to mind. And I am, in some ways, also Marcus' mate, since Didyme lives in me. So its a good thing that Caius doesn't want me. I can't be with the two of them."

"Why not?" Emily asks, making me splutter. I certainly wasn't expecting that from her!

"This is so messed up," Leah comments. "You and Bella really have a gift to find the worst twisted situations to get caught in!"

"Life would be too boring otherwise," I reply.

Once I am ready, the two Quileutes also dress up, and I help them with their hair and make up, telling them about my time in Volterra.

"Girls, we leave in fifteen minutes!" Sue calls.

We are already ready and only are chatting, so fifteen minutes is oka-

Aro! I completely forgot about him!

"Sorry, I've got a call to make!"

I run to my computer, turning it on, snapping my fingers as it takes _ages_ to get started.

And with all what happened, I didn't get to think about how to break the news to the raven haired King!

_Hey Aro, I know you killed your sister and that she is alive through me. Please don't kill me, I swear I'll keep your secret._

"We're going down, don't be too long," Emily advises. I nod absent-mindedly, logging in my Skype account.

I make a simple call, with no camera. I don't need the additional stress.

"Good evening, how can I help you?" A woman picks up.

Her tone is professional, she must be the receptionist. How was she called? I don't remember. Something like Gemma I thing? Maybe Gemma.

"I am Anna Swan, may I talk with Aro please? This is urgent," I tell her,

"Please wait a minute."

Shuffling can be heard, and then the 'beep's of a phone making a call. I force myself to stop taping on my desk with my fingers. Slow, it is too slow...

"I'm sorry Master. Anna Swan is calling on Skype, she wants to talk with you."

A pause.

"Yes, I'll log out."

A deeper beep.

"Please call again in a few seconds," the receptionist tells me, before hanging up on Skype too.

My breath shudders as I click again on the call symbol. This is so nerve-wracking.

The call is answered.

"Good afternoon Anna," comes Aro's warm voice. "How are you my dear? You can speak freely, I am in my office, no one can hear us on my side."

"Tha-that's good." Oh God, the last thing I need is to become a stuttering fool.

"Are you alright?" Aro inquires, his tone concerned.

"I am. I just - ... It's - ... There's no easy way to say it."

I take a deep breath.

"Marcus and the guards know that Didyme is alive, and the Cullens and the wolves will probably know it soon too."


	42. Chapter 42

_**Previously:**_

_"Marcus and the guards know that Didyme is alive, and the Cullens and wolves will probably know it soon too."_

* * *

For a few seconds, only silence can be heard coming from the other side of the line, and I start to panic. I have no idea how to convince Aro that his sister is not a threat to the Volturi. If he can read her thoughts, which I am not even sure he can, will knowing the extent of her regret be enough to reassure him?

Why am _I_ ready to vouch for her anyway? She never meant to manipulate her husband, yet she did. Is her desire to not repeat her previous mistakes enough to ensure she won't do so?

"You asked someone about Diana," Aro states simply, breaking the silence.

"I did," I admit.

Aro doesn't reply. I wiggle where I am sitting on the bed, as I used to when my mother looked at me sternly after I did something wrong. If the raven-haired king had any children, I doubt they would dare disobey him. Knowing I somehow disappointed Aro nearly makes me cry.

"She told me to ask," I try to justify, "And I was curious, and Alice didn't talk me out of it. In fact, she kept smiling..."

Diana. I wonder if Aro really recognized her thanks to her DNA, or if he simply read her thoughts. Did he play me with the whole DNA database story? I don't know. How could I know? With Aro, the unlikely and likely events have equal chances of happening. He is a Master of lies, I know that. His words can never be trusted.

"My King, I would never harm the Volturi willingly. You know my heart and my soul," I plead as Aro still doesn't speak. "Didyme deeply regrets her actions, and begs you for forgiveness."

"Forgiveness," Aro pronounces disdainfully. "For centuries, I trusted no one but her. She was my sister, and she was smart. She was family," he says, his tone now scornful, "and family was the one thing I could trust as a vampire. In my whole life, I never trusted anyone else but myself, my two brothers, Didyme, and Sulpicia. And how did she repay me? By betraying me! She was going to destroy the Volturi, and was asking Marcus to leave both me and Caius, his soul brothers!"

I can hear Aro inhale and then sigh.

"I do not forgive such treachery easily."

This time, tears do fall from my eyes, rolling down my cheeks. Whether they are Didyme's, or mine, I do not know.

"I understand," I say, my voice heavier from the lump in my throat. "I don't ask you to."

_Heaven girl, get yourself together!_

I blink a few times, my breath shallow.

"I love the idea of vampire rulers, and cannot imagine anyone more fit for this role than you and your brothers. Moreover, I love Marcus, Caius is my mate, and I like you. I will never be an enemy of the Volturi. Please, give me a chance."

_"And maybe, with time, you will forgive Didyme," _I add silently.

"I had hoped that we were becoming friends..." I add as Aro stays silent. "My new knowledge doesn't change anything about who I am."

"You betrayed me," the king finally replies. "If you had to ask anyone about Diana, why didn't you ask me? I told you that Diana being inside you should stay a secret between us."

New tears stream down my face.

"Please Aro, _please_. You are right, I didn't think about asking you. After Didyme told me to ask, I was just so excited, I didn't think..."

"Are you saying that she told you to do something, and your emotions were so positive you didn't think before obeying? You said Didyme deeply regrets her actions. Do you know _what_ she did?"

I close my eyes. No. It can't be. She didn't use her powers on me, didn't she?

"If I was using my powers, I wasn't aware of it," Didyme murmurs.

"And that is exactly what I blame you for!" Aro shouts back. "You _are_ a threat, whether you want it or not! Every time you are happy, every time you are excited about something, your emotions spread to the people around you and they lose their ability to think before acting."

"Not that many people do so anyway," I comment in a whisper. The vampire hears it all the same.

"I have to agree with you," Aro laughs shortly, his anger seemingly forgotten. "Few people think before acting, and if they do, they are not smart enough to make proper decisions. But it is not your case, Anna," the King adds, his tone serious once more. "You are a very smart woman, and you always try to act in a way no one can blame you for. You hate feeling embarrassed and you never do anything you could later be ashamed of."

I did not question it before, but my on-the-spot decision of asking Marcus about Diana was, indeed, rather out of character for me. Asking Marcus was risking both Aro's wrath and making a dangerous mistake, if Aro's warning had been true.

"I am sure that, together, Didyme and I can make sure that this doesn't happen anymore," I offer. "If I make decisions too quickly or if someone else from the Volturi does, we will step in and ask them to think again objectively."

"Please do so!" Aro agrees, his usual cheerfulness back in his tone. "If you prove you can help Didyme control her power, I will be eternally grateful, Anna. You would both give me back a sister I missed terribly, and give me a new one. Now, do not think I did not notice that you only said that you will spare the Volturi from being influenced. What about the Cullens, the shape-shifters, and the human in your way? And how will Didyme and you deal with the both of you sharing a body? I also have to ask: how is it that Didyme is alive and inside of you?"

I start answering his last question but am cut short when someone knocks on my door.

"Alright Anna, that was already twenty-five minutes! We really have to go now, or we will be late to the wedding!" Leah shouts.

Aro sighs, but chuckles soon after.

"It sounds like you have to go. Please call me again when you have the time!"

I smile.

"I will make sure to call you. Good night, Aro."

"Have a nice afternoon my dear."

I hang up and turn the computer off. I run down the stairs to the living room, my heart light with happiness. Aro's emotions are as infectious as Didyme's, and I love it when he plays his cheerful persona.

"Lets go!" I shout to the four people gathered on the couch. "Bella is getting married!"


	43. Chapter 43

As soon as we arrive, I find myself enraptured by the most magnificent sight I was ever given to see. I barely notice all the decorations Alice and the other Cullens must have spent hours putting into place, even with their vampire speed. The thousands white and light purple flowers, the little lights in the trees and in the grass, the white wooden benches and arks - all that pales in comparison to the masterpiece that welcomes me.

"You are gorgeous my dear," Marcus says, bowing and taking my hand in his. I let a shaky breath out as he brings my fingers to his mouth and kisses my knuckles gently.

"My vocabulary is rather poor, how am I to describe you if you steel one of the few words I can think of?"

Nature truly outdone itself with this man. Given how the three Kings and the two living Queens look like, it seems that men and women were created much more beautiful a few centuries before than they are now. Or it could be that only the prettiest ones were changed into vampires, improving already magnificent people into creatures no one could ever compare with.

Whatever the explanation, Marcus outshines all the males I may have thought handsome at some point in my life. Even the memory I have of Caius and Aro fades as I stare at the brown-haired King. His appearance is ageless and breathtaking.

A silver clip keeps his hair in the back of his head, holding all the locks that usually mask the side of his face. He is smiling, no wrinkle between his brows, and I am pretty sure he put some mascara on. I know he has long eyelashes, but I do not remember them highlighting his eyes as perfectly, though this improvement may only come from the contacts he wears. Marcus makes chestnut brown eyes look fascinating.

His hairstyle, his smile and his dark blue slightly undone suit makes him appear like a twenty-or-so year old young man, and this style agrees with him.

My throat feels dry, my heart is pounding, and I feel slightly light-headed.

I do not even begin to understand how anyone could mistake Marcus for a mortal. Even without knowing about vampires, it is clear that he is not human. Simply looking at him is dazzling. He is like a Greek god, his true appearance too fabulous for a mortal to gaze at without dying, consumed by the perfection of the sight.

I close my eyes for a few seconds, trying to shake me out of my amazed state.

"Dad, this is Marcus," I manage to say. "Marcus, my Dad, chief Charlie Swan."

"It is an honour to meet you, sir," my lover greets smoothly, his strange accent heavier that usual. I wonder if it is an Italian one, or his native Greek one. In any case, it sound amazing.

This isn't infatuation, isn't it? It has to be love, though it is probably mixed with a heavy dose of fascination and attraction.

"Likewise," Dad's throaty voice rumbles.

I will never understand how Marcus' perfection can seem anything less than unearthly.

"How old are you?"

"Dad!" I cry out. "I already told you he's twenty four. Can't you wait until after the wedding to question him? And don't you have to go and see Bella?"

My father grunts.

"I suppose it can wait. I'm glad you're back in Forks, kiddo."

"Me too Dad. It is going to be alright Dad, you know," I add, seeing him hover next to me. "Edward will make Bella happy. He's a jerk, but he loves her, and we and his family are here to keep him in check. Not to mention Bella. He is at her beck and call."

"You're right," Dad mumbles. "Well, I'll leave you to your boyfriend then."

He turns towards Marcus.

"You treat her like anything less than a Queen, and I'll have you castrated."

"Keep this speech for Edward!" I call back. He waves at me before entering the house.

Marcus chuckles, pulling me closer to him.

"I like your father."

I hum, laying down against my lover's broad chest.

"I'm glad I have a few more years before being turned. With Bella's change, it is already going to be difficult. She will have to find reasons to explain why she can't see him."

"This is an issue for an other day," Marcus murmurs in my ear. "Tonight is a time of joy. Two people will be bound on earth and in the sky."

This has me looking up to him. His words sound like a reference to the Bible, but I wonder if they are not even something more.

"Does being married change anything to the bond?"

"It depends on how the bond is initially," Marcus starts.

He leads me to our sit, at the front row, and we wait there for the beginning of the wedding, talking. Marcus explanations about what marriage is gather him an audience, and I am surprised to discover that Jessica, a high-school friend of Bella's, finds the question very interesting and has some of her own ideas to bring forth.

The discussion ends when Emmett and Edward walk up to the made-up altar. I perk up. Whether marriage is mainly a symbol to show commitment, as my lover believes, or an important step that can both strengthen or weaken a relationship, as Jessica said, a significant event is on the verge of happening. It is the beginning of my twin sister's last days as a human.

She steps out of the house, long white frills and lace underlining her figure, our Dad at her side. Bella only has eyes for her soon-to-be husband as she walks down the aisle. Just before she reaches him, she turns around, her eyes searching the crowd. They find me, and she smiles. I smile back.

_I will always be there for you. I wouldn't miss your wedding for anything in the world._


	44. Chapter 44

Our stay in Forks had to come to its end, one day or another, and any day could only be too soon. Bella left on her honeymoon the night of the wedding, while Marcus and I chose to stay one more week. Our relationship grew and matured exponentially during those seven days. We spoke, we cuddled, and we made love.

Didyme stays hidden inside of me, her emotions and her strengthening of my skin and bones the only sign of her presence. She feels like a supportive best-friend, and, true to her word, lets me live my life. However, the more time I enjoy her mate's company, the more I begin to wish for her to be back at his side. My feelings for Marcus are confused. I don't know if I am in love with him or not. I love him, I want for him to be happy, and I enjoy being with him, being held by him. Then why do I keep day-dreaming about watching Didyme run into his arms?

This recurring day-dream is the one I am having as we drive back to Volterra, having landed in Florence half an hour earlier.

I can picture myself standing under the archway of the hidden garden in Volterra, leaning against a pillar in the shadow, watching Marcus walk under the sunlight. Didyme runs to him, and he spins around, enclosing her in his embrace, bending down to kiss her. I smile, and step back further into the shadow, leaving as silently as possible.

This scene is so clear in my mind, I am positive that I am half inside my inner-world, where I have to be playing it. Simple thought are not so complex and relaxing as this day-dream is.

"We arrived, my dear," Marcus murmurs to me.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and focus on my surroundings, and smile to him. Truth to be told, I am a bit anxious to see Aro again. We talked a few more times on the phone, but I am still unsure about how he plans to deal with Didyme and I. On top of that, there is Caius.

I didn't spend so much time thinking about him this last week, as I slept in his brother's arms, but he never really left my mind. I do not desire him anymore - I do not even know what I want now - but I never stopped being _aware_ of him, like as if he was one of my limbs. One do not think about their left hand all the time, but they cannot _forget_ about it.

Marcus goes out of the car first, and turns to offer me his hand, helping me to my feet.

"Anna, what a pleasure to have you back here!" Aro cries out.

As Marcus steps to the side, his black-haired brother comes closer, hands lifted in greeting.

"You smell nice, dear one," the king tells me, laughter in his eyes as he takes my hands in his.

My cheeks feel much warmer suddenly. I know I must smell of Marcus - we spend too much time in one-another's arms for us not to have mixed our scents. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure I also have his scent _inside_ of me. We spent the night together before leaving Forks, as we always do, but there was more kissing than sleeping so to say, even for me. I slept in the plane, to the guards disappointment.

"Yes, I forgive you," Aro murmurs, bringing my attention back to him. I widen my eyes. Is he able to hear Didyme's thoughts?

"If she covers enough of your skin so I actually touch her by holding your hands, yes I can," Aro answers, his voice still low and calm.

Then, he smiles his overenthusiastic smile again.

"Why are we still in the garage? You are well rested, and can stay awake a few more hours. Shouldn't we go to my office? We have much to discuss!"

I laugh, following him as he starts leading me into the hall toward the kings' wing of the castle.

I cannot help but notice that neither Caius, Athenodora or Sulpicia were here to welcome Marcus and me.

I find them as soon as Aro's opens the door to his office. Sulpicia and Athenodora immediately stand up form the couch they were sitting on, happy smiles on their faces, uncertain eyes locked on me. Caius only lifts his head in my direction, and unreadable expression on his beautiful features as he ruins them by scrunching up his nose.

Some things never change. If Didyme didn't take over exactly then, I may have simply walked up to my mate and tried to erase his scowl with my hands. Something about him is getting on my nerves today even more than he usually does. He feels... off.

"It has been a while!" Didyme exclaims in Ancient Egyptian. "I am so happy to see you all again. I missed you terribly."

Her two sisters by marriage come up at that and kiss my cheeks, excitement and delight shining in their eyes.

"Oh Didyme, we missed you too!" Sulpicia cries, before hugging me fiercely.

Over her shoulder, my eyes meet Athenodora's thoughtful ones. She winces, then quickly looks at the side without moving her face, and stares back at me.

I have no idea what she was trying to say, but there is one thing I she attempted to tell me concerns Caius, whom she point out to me with her gaze.

When Sulpicia and Didyme finish hugging and whispering to each other in delight, Athenodora takes her black-haired sister's place in front of me. She hugs me much more carefully, and only Didyme's vampire hearing enable me to hear the blond Queen's words.

"Anna, could we talk tonight?"

And without waiting for an answer, she proceeds to welcome Didyme.

The few hours that follow are awkward. Marcus doesn't say a word, as is usual for him, but Caius isn't more talkative. He doesn't even complain at anything that is being said. Sulpicia and Athenodora do not know how to behave with me. They are confused about how to deal with two different women sharing the same body, and chose to focus on Didyme and ignore me. Only Aro, being Aro, is comfortable with talking with both I and his sister.

I sigh with relief as I leave the room. Marcus is taking me to his bedroom, as I am now to stay there with my lover, instead of having him come every night in the guest room I have been living in, as he did the past few months.

"All the rooms in this wing are sound proof," Aro had said at some point, apparently fine with encouraging his sister and his close friend to sleep together. I wonder how he reacted the first time he saw them have sex through their thoughts. Even he must have been disturbed.

Thinking about Aro seeing people's intimate moments through their memories, I can't help but be reminded of Didyme's comment the first time Marcus and I made love. From what Aro had told her, she thought I would be disappointed with Caius, comparing him to Marcus, were I to lay with my mate. I am curious to know whether she was right or not.

I wash, put my pajamas on, and go to join Marcus in bed. He was sitting on the mattress, waiting for me, and lays down at my side as soon as I am under the covers.

It is only as someone knocks on the door that I remember Athenodora's wish of speaking with me.

"Enter," I call, moving around to sit against the headboard.

Athenodora enters, glancing at Marcus as she does.

"I have to speak with Anna," she tells him after closing the door. "You can stay if you want."

She walks closed to the bed, sitting on the edge of it, close to my feet, watching me intensely.

"We've been stepping around the elephant in the room for long enough," Athenodora says. "You are Caius' mate, I am his wife. On top of that, you are also Marcus' mate and wife, and his lover. How do we deal with this?"


	45. Chapter 45

_**Previously: **_

_"We've been stepping around the elephant in the room for long enough. You are Caius' mate, I am his wife. On top of that, you are also Marcus' mate and wife, and his lover. How do we deal with this?"_

* * *

I feel Marcus tense up at Athenodora's words, the seriousness of the discussion sharpening his attention, as it does mine.

"Didyme is Marcus' mate and wife, I am only his lover," I say, choosing to answer by telling the Queen the one thing I know.

My heart is beating strongly in my chest, and I can feel my eyes well up with tears although I am not sad, only confused, and maybe afraid.

"Caius loves you," I add, going on with the simple truths. "You love him. I love Marcus, Marcus loves me. Why would I get in between you and your husband?"

The pressure increases against my ribs, and I press my tongue against my sharp teeth, hoping to keep away the tears by focusing on the slight pain. I am surprised by the reaction of my body, and I wonder if it is the mating pull protesting at my suggestion. But why would I only feel it now, when I have been with Marcus for months without hope or plan of ever getting with Caius? It makes no sense. However, why am I so hurt by my own words if it isn't because of the mating bond?

"Love doesn't give eternal happiness. Love can die and love can change," Athenodora comments coldly. She then sighs.

"I am sorry. I am not angry with you but with myself, for believing that I could stay with Caius for ever."

The Queen looks down at the bed, eyes half closed, her fingers playing with the fabric of her dress. Unease creeps in me as I stare at the sorrow she displays.

"Why can't you?" I breath.

She straightens to stare at me, eyes sharp.

"Because I won't stay with Caius if it makes him unhappy," Athenodora states firmly.

I turn toward Marcus as that. Before falling in love, we did decide to be together because we were the best choice for each other. We were the ones who could be content with having our lover long to be with someone else, because we feel that longing ourselves.

"I believe my exact words, three months ago, were 'there is no saying how long it will take'," Marcus whispers to me, though I know Athenodora can perfectly hear him too. "It seems that we know now."

My human memory cannot remember exactly what he was talking about back then, but I suppose it has to do with Caius changing his mind about me.

"Well, the woman who he is meant to be with did sleep with an other, it is a huge wake up call," Athenodora bit out angrily, before sighing again.

"Not that you did anything wrong by making love with Marcus, Caius didn't want you, you were perfectly allowed to move on. And you did give him a few months to change his mind."

I gape at her, my mind blank. So Caius was fine with me moving on and falling in love, but me sleeping with someone was too much? I would have expected his jealousy to kick in sooner, and that is maybe even what enabled me to fall in love with Marcus: I gave up all hopes of ever ending up with Caius, hell, I didn't even _think_ about it for the last month at least! I stopped wishing for us to get together, I simply was happy with my life.

_But I wished for Marcus and Didyme to fully make up and be lovers again. _Does it mean that my love for Marcus isn't the one lovers have for each other? Or maybe it is. I am so confused. My desire for Marcus to be happy isn't so much different from Athenodora's wish to see Caius happy, isn't it?

I go deeper and deeper in thoughts as my brain tries to process all that happened and all the information it was given.

"I don't know how to call her back!" a woman cries. "It happens to her sometimes, she'll wake up on her own after some time."

"I can't read her thoughts," a man comments, concerned.

"I think... I think her soul isn't properly linked to her body," the same woman than previously says, anxious. "Maybe because she was supposed to die just after her conception?"

Like I did?

"Anna?" again the same man. "Anna, we're talking about you. Wake up please, you gave us quite the scare."

I blink.

I am still on the bed, but things moved around me. Sulpicia is holding a distressed Athenodora in her arms, Marcus is holding me, and Aro has his hands on my right one.

The woman who spoke isn't there.

"She is, actually," Aro tells me. "It was Didyme. She took over when your soul backed into your thoughts."

"Oh."

Athenodora is the next one to speak after some minutes of silence.

"Is she... Is she dying? If her soul isn't fixed to her body..."

"She will be fine," Aro interrupts her. "If Carlisle isn't concerned, we have no reasons to be."

He bends toward me, kissing my brow swiftly before standing up, waving for the two Queens to follow him.

"Wait!" I shout, once I recovered my spirits after Aro's surprising gesture.

The three turn around, Aro's eyebrows raised in question.

"Athenodora, we still didn't find a solution. And there's something that you said which didn't make sense," I tell her. It was indeed something my thoughts got stuck on.

"What is it?" she inquires.

I look at the two others who joined us. I am not sure about discussing this in front of Aro and Sulpicia... Though Aro undoubtedly knows it already. Indeed, he answers Athenodora's question before I do:

"She wondered how you could have known that Caius is distressed about her making love to Marcus when you asked to speak with her. After all, she just arrived."

He then turns to me, smiling cheekily.

"Well, the answer to that is simple enough. I knew you and Marcus planned to sleep together during your stay in Forks, and when we called on the evening of the wedding, you told me that Didyme stays hidden, not changing anything about your life."

I feel all blood leaving my face. I know that Aro knows _everything_, but I certainly didn't expect him to tell Caius and Athenodora that Marcus and I slept together!

"I don't know whether to berate you for being yourself, id est for telling others private matters you learned with help of your gift," my lover tells his brother, "or to thank you for your apparent successful attempt at making Caius react." **[AN :** id est is Latin, it means "in other words"**]**

Aro laughs.

"He would have learned it today anyway. The only difference I made is by revealing that Didyme has nothing to do with it."

I slip under the covers, trying to disappear. Aro laughs openly, and Didyme's hearing picks up Sulpicia's discrete chuckle.

My vampire savior and best friends bits out angrily, her voice muffled by the blankets I am hidden under:

"But this is exactly what matters the most, isn't it? Your actions result in Anna having to chose between my mate and hers! And I am the one who doesn't think things through?"

Aro's voice is ice cold as he answers.

"How dare you question me? I know much more about the situation at hand than you do!"

Didyme straightens up, making us come up from under the covers to face her brother's flashing eyes.

"And..."

"And you love manipulating people way too much, Aro," I interrupt her, laughing. "But I can't be the one blaming you for it, can't I?"

The King relaxes and smiles back at me. Our eyes still lock, I explain:

"Didyme is terrified since Athenodora's revelation that Caius may have changed his mind about me. Did you read her thoughts since then?"

"I didn't," Aro replays, curious. "She didn't make her skin replace enough of yours for me to do so."

As my vampire guest doesn't explain herself, I go on.

"It is obvious what scares her so, isn't it?"

I then turn to Marcus who simply moves me closer to his side.

"She is afraid you will chose Caius over Marcus," Athenodora is the one to say it aloud. "She doesn't want her mate to be alone again, but she doesn't want to interfere in your life and keep you away from Caius if you chose him."

As no one answers, the blond Queen adds sadly:

"I'm wrong, am I not? I am the only stupid one out of the six of us. But I don't know where to go if I leave," she sobs.

"You were right!" Didyme shouts, now crying herself, making me experience the very strange feeling of a vampire's tearless tears. "And you don't have to leave Athenodora, your place is here! You are a part of the family, and deserve it more than I! You belong at Caius' and Marcus side, as you have always been! Oh, if only I had let fate do its job and let Anna die! The last three months gave me the hope that you six could be happy, that Anna could have the place I didn't deserve among you, but it seems like I only worsened everything. Maybe I do destroy all that I touch."

"I hate drama queens," I cut in before anyone can answer, now angry too. "You are being totally ridiculous, and I hate it when people are ridiculous. Oh, and thanks for regretting saving me, I appreciate the feeling. Now, shut up, and let me do the talking.

"First, there is always Emily's solution. Then, may I remember you I am in love with Marcus? I am more likely to hurt Caius than to hurt him, and since I am less emotional than you and very rational, it is even sure than between the two of them, it is Marcus I would chose, whatever my feelings. After all, Athenodora can help soothe all pain I can cause my mate by staying away from him.

"Finally, I have an idea how to solve everything, and since Aro wouldn't have spoken to Caius without thinking, I am pretty sure he has one too."

It is a lie of course, I have no idea what to do, and I am not sure I trust Aro to know more. But I am confident. We are smart. We will find something. Making everyone think we already have a solution so they calm down isn't going to hurt.

...

-Wait. I do have an idea. A really good idea.

I turn toward Aro and extend my hand out to him._ Did you think of the same thing?_ He walks forward and takes my hand into his, before laughing merrily.

"You really do think like I do," he chuckles once he calmed down a bit, a huge grin on his face. "You were right about my idea, and I do think yours is an excellent one."

So he didn't have any clue either?

"No, I didn't," he confirms, before faltering.

"Your idea is more precise than mine," he decides to add. "I didn't think so far into it as you did," he concedes. I am pretty sure it is his way to put me in the spotlight without admitting to the others that my plan is sooo much better than his. None need to know that I just thought about it.

"Now that the future looks bright and shiny again," I declare playfully. "Could you please let me sleep? I am tired."

Aro beams at me again, and guides the two ladies out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I turn to face Marcus' amused face.

"The world isn't ready for you and Aro to work hand in hand."

"I like him."

"You trust him too much," my lover says, smiling with amusement. "Or rather, you enjoy seeing the consequences of his decisions way too much."

I hum at that, nuzzling my face in Marcus' cold chest, backing, putting a blanket between over us, and coming back in his embrace.

"He is fun, and I like it. But I love the calming effect you have on me. I am over-excited, and without you I would have no hopes of falling asleep anytime soon."

"But I can protect you from you own mind," Marcus finishes, kissing my forehead. "You already told me so, my dear."

He then adds: "Before you fall asleep, let me assure you that I want only your happiness. My plan was, and still is, to stay with you and care about you until Caius changed his mind. If you decide you want to be with him, I will help you. My goal is for the two of you to end up happy, and this can only be achieved if you are at Caius side, although you learned to do without him, and he only realized his need for you recently. My brother deserves happiness as much as I do," Marcus murmurs, "and after being alone for nearly one thousand years, I am already happy enough to be pleased. Didyme is alive again, and your happiness is all my love for you requires."

I sigh in pleasure at his sweet words which had the effects of both making me feel all warm inside and calming me into a state I can fall asleep in.

I push away from his chest to kiss his lips, and after our kiss ends, I snuggle back against his chest.

"Now, Didyme, Anna, sleep," Marcus orders.

We are only happy to oblige.


	46. Chapter 46

A body for Didyme. How do I find a body for Didyme? This is the question I keep asking myself as I roam the halls of the castle, the day after my return to Volterra. I wonder if I will have psychic powers as a vampire. I am, after all, pretty good at visualizing things, and I did imagine seeing Didyme run freely in her own body to her mate's arms.

I hope I will have a gift after being turned. Who doesn't want to have super powers?

A body for Didyme. I don't like the idea of giving her the body of someone else, it feels wrong to deprive someone of their body. Becoming the best thieve ever isn't a goal I am pursuing.

My steps take me to Aro's office, and I knock on the door. Marcus went to do I-don't-know what, but he didn't tell me about any trial, so Aro may be in his office right now.

No one answers.

Or, he maybe is otherwise occupied, in his private suite possibly. Given Didyme's spark of amusement, I think she came to the same conclusion as I did.

"How does one create a new body from scratch?" I decide to ask her.

Choc, and laughter.

At this insight in her emotions, I find myself missing Jasper's presence. I would have loved to get a peek into Caius' feelings yesterday evening. The last months taught me that feelings are slow to change but fast to burn, and very difficult to understand. I wonder how long it would take for us to fall in love if we gave our couple a chance to form.

"Are you planning on giving birth to me?" Didyme says as we continue our walk through the empty corridors of the castle.

Of course! Why didn't I think about it!

"Why not?" I suggest. "If you can control your cells, you can make yourself become a fetus, can you not? My body would then help you grow."

She hums in answer as she ponders my suggestion.

"I don't think it would help," she finally says. "I would have to make your body believe it has fallen pregnant, and I don't know how to do that. You have no idea how hard it is to be only a bunch of cells!"

"Well, actually, I am one too," I tell her, smirking at the barely lit darkness of the hall. "I am simply a bit more... whole."

She laughs, and then sighs.

"Even if I found a way to make your body knows it has to prepare to host fetus me, I don't think a human body can help vampire cells to develop."

That's unfortunate. Though I am in no hurry to have a child as I never actually gave the topic serious thoughts, I liked the idea. Especially since me falling pregnant naturally isn't very much possible now, given my two love interests are vampires.

"Well, then we only have a way to make Rosalie fall pregnant of you," I joke.

"Which is so much more feasible," Didyme laughs. "You have no idea how hard a vampire woman's inner skin is, next to a human one. I simply keep yours frozen, so as not to need to freeze and unfreeze it all the time."

"Are you saying I have sex too often?" I retort.

"I wouldn't dare," she says. "It would be very hypocritical of me to do so!"

I chuckle. She is very pleasant company when she isn't wallowing in self-pity and repeating over and over how horrible she is. Girl, made a mistake? Accept it. Go on. Be proud of your achievements, make with the failures. Be confident, like you brother. He is my ideal of self-confidence and poise.

"Hi, Diane!" a voice calls, quickly followed by the appearance of two figures walking on each side of me. Demetri and Felix.

"You know this is very strange, right? Hearing you speak with each other. It sounds like the conversations Smeagol has with Gollum."

"Thanks for the comparison," I snort.

We talk for a few hours, greeting the other residents of the castle when we come upon them. We meet Aro, and I touch his hand, so he knows about the giving birth idea and maybe looks into it, to see if it may actually be a possible way to get Didyme a body of her own. Marcus and Caius are nowhere to see, though we do come across Athenodora, who suggests we go in my old room to talk and play board games. Sulpicia joins us, and I spend a very nice day.

After dinner though, when Marcus still has to come back, I am starting to wonder if I will have to go to sleep on my own. Strain is gaining me though, and I end up bidding the two Queens and two guards good night and ready myself for bed.

I am turning restlessly, sleep escaping me, when the door of the bedroom opens. I turn toward it, to see Marcus entering, Caius in his wake. I feel heat run through my body as I am remembered of the one time the two vampires cuddled with me as I slept.

"Are you having troubles falling asleep?" Marcus murmurs, slipping in the bed next to me.

"You got us used to having some company," Didyme answers cheekily. It surprises me a little, as I had not expected for her happy and carefree mood of the day to last into making her at ease even with the Kings around.

I stare at Caius as he stands there, looking a bit unsure as to what to do. I smile to him, in what I am hoping to be an encouraging and inviting manner, and snuggle deeper into Marcus to free some more place on the bed.

"Will you stay with us, like you did on the plane, three months ago? I would love for you to stay," I say, cringing as I force the words out. Thinking them is easy, saying them not so much. I hate how vulnerable it makes me to hand myself to a possible refusal as I just did. If Caius declines, I will feel pretty stupid.

But what I fear does not come to happen. My mate walks to the bed, takes of his shoes and lays down, looking as unsure and awkward as I feel. I wonder if he is as stressed and excited by my presence as I am by his. I feel like I am meeting my crush for the first time after gazing at him from far away for months. I am afraid to disappoint, and anxious to make a good impression. My heart seems to have forgotten that Caius and I have been interacting for months now as it flutters in my chest, pleased by my mate's closeness.

Neither of us is good with words. Had Marcus been at Caius' place, he would have talked to me and expressed his feelings. Neither I nor the blond King seem willing to do so.

I ask the first thing that crosses my mind, in the hope that if will help to dispel the tension and make us more at ease.

"Did Marcus play matchmakers?"

It is surprisingly easy to give into my wishes and snuggle closer to Caius, until my arm is across his chest. He doesn't move away, but actually shifts around to make us more comfortable. The welcoming gesture alone makes me relax. Speaking with words is difficult, with our bodies it is easier. I do not feel bold enough to look into his eyes, but I wonder how much our gazes could tell.

"He did something like that, yes," Caius confirms.

"To be more precise," the brown-haired King says, "I shouted at him for five hours or so, trying to knock some sense into his head."

"It was more like twelve hours," Caius protests.

"But I was shouting for only five of them."

I cannot help but chuckle as I nuzzle into Caius, searching for Marcus' legs with my feet to invite him closer.

Unfortunately, sleep claims me too soon, and cuts short my pleased appreciation of the strange embrace. I drift away into peaceful dreams, smiling into my mate's chest, lying in Didyme's husband's arms. A very nice day indeed.


	47. Chapter 47

When I wake up the next morning, Caius left and only Marcus is still there. For a moment, I am confused, and wonder if my mate did come in the night or if I dreamed it up after falling asleep alone.

"He's with Athenodora," Marcus whispers from behind me, having guessed what it is that troubles me so early in the morning.

With Athenodora? I hate how this thought clutches at my heart. I wonder if he still loves her, and immediately feel bad for wishing he doesn't. I am pretty sure I am in love with Marcus myself... But I still want Caius. Oh, feelings are so confusing.

What is Caius doing with Athenodora? Are they only speaking, or doing more than that? Will they stay close friends even if the King chooses me? Will he chose me?

"What did you discuss with Caius yesterday?" I ask Marcus, murmuring too. "If you don't mind telling me, I know it is none of my business."

I don't feel nearly as at ease in my mate's presence than in my lover's, and I know that Caius doesn't wish to speak his heart out to me any more than I do. Thinking about it, it was Athenodora who came to me and Marcus to tell us about Caius' changes of heart, and the brown-haired king then went to confront his brother. What great mates we are, discussing by interposed lovers!

"Some could argue that it is actually your business, at is concerns you in its end effect," Marcus answers, his words sharp but his tone loving, "though I do not agree with this kind of reasoning. I do, however, know my brother well enough to know that he would not mind me telling you. In fact, it will make things easier for the both of you, as you are both to damn prideful to open your hearts to each other and to speak with each other in all honesty."

I am surprised by his swearing, but do not interrupt him to protest. I am perfectly aware that he is right, and I can admit it. I turn around in his embrace to end up facing him, the blankets still between our body, keeping me warm. Marcus looks down at me, his crimson eyes holding my gaze with the kindness I know him to display in all his interactions with the lucky few recipient of his love.

"I criticized and confronted him about several topics, one of which being his apparent willingness to give up on you," Marcus explains, his expression softening as he brushes my lips with a finger. "I also asked whether he was planning to resent me all our eternal life for having your love when he does not."

Marcus kisses me.

I have no time to think as he pushes me so that I lie on my back, his body covering mine. Our lips brush with need, but he pulls back before the kiss deepens, whispering the end of his retelling:

"Basically, I talked him into admitting that his feelings are changing and that he does feel a pull towards you."

His lips kiss mine lightly.

"And one hour ago, I sent him to talk with Athenodora so they can discuss the future of their relationship. She and Caius are not only lovers but also best friends, and I trust her to push him in you arms. After all," Marcus whispers, "she knows what is best for him, and she wants his happiness. Furthermore, I may have sent her a few e-mails while you slept in your mate's arms..."

Though I certainly do not mind it, his playfulness is confusing me. Didyme's dread is spreading through me, adding to my apprehension. What did he plan?

"Anna, may I present you 'dangerous Marcus'?" my body-sharer whispers, borrowing my voice. Though she is addressing me, I have no doubt that she is also teasing her mate. "He is, with Caius and Athenodora, one of the three first Volturi. Aro and I have learned to fear any scheme he comes up with. Athenodora and Marcus together are the worst though. He manipulates her into liking his crazy plans, and she transforms them into something ever crazier. My dear older sister never does things in half measures. The day before yesterday, she was nearly in tears because he is starting to desire Anna," she says to Marcus this time. "What did you do to make her change her mind?"

He chuckles, kissing me again, or her - well, us both.

"Her friendship with Caius has been tiring over the last centuries, their bond fading as they both distanced themselves from each other. They found less and less to share but kisses and warm embraces. It has been very long since they last laughed together. An eternity can wear down novelty, but change and new adventures can bring it back."

He suddenly looks up, eyes shining in mirth, before bending back down to kiss me. My body burns up in excitement between Didyme's feelings and mine. Adrenaline courses through my veins at the mischief I am partaking in.

I doubt this was Marcus' idea: it has Athenodora written all over it. I hope it doesn't hurt her to be helping Marcus in his matchmaking plans...

Can someone be in love with two people? Can Athenodora and I share Caius, as Didyme and I share Marcus? Can Caius and Marcus share me? Will it last, or will it simply be a transition while our feelings develop? Will we all end up as the best of friends? I hope so. I like Athenodora, Didyme sees her as her sister, and the blond Queen belongs at Marcus' and Caius' side.

Didyme's enhance hearing picks up a sharp intake of breath on the other side of the bedroom door and a short chuckle.

Marcus really has a way with words. I do not know what he told her, but it was very effective if Athenodora now laughs at her lover's jealousy. Or are they only very close friends with benefit now, after their discussion?

Either I am very bad at understanding relationships, or I have a gift for messing with them. Well, I simply will have to trust Marcus and Athenodora with this, won't I?

I sigh in pleasure against my lover's lips.


	48. Chapter 48

After Caius and Athenodora left the Kings' wing corridor, Marcus lets our kiss deepen and progressively turn into love making. Though the rooms are made to be sound-proof, thanks to hidden acoustic panels, the doors are not completely opaque to sound waves, and it is possible to listen in - or in this case, listen out - in a small radius around the door. Given how silent Marcus and I were, I think our smell, _my smell_, was what 'betrayed out activity' to the blond King and his wife - if Athenodora is still called Caius' wife now that I am in the picture and that Caius accepted my presence in his life.

One hour later maybe, I am ready for the day, and leave the room to make myself a breakfast in the receptionist's kitchen. Marcus has left for a meeting with his brothers. The three of them are workaholics, something all vampires should be thankful for. Keeping the secret of their existence is a never-ending struggle and requires the Volturi to constantly keep up with the economy and the progress of technology, on top of maintaining tight links with all governments and institutions around the world.

"Good morning Anna, Didyme," a soft voice greets me as two vampires enter the kitchen.

"Good morning Athenodora," I answer her, smiling. Mischief is shining in her eyes and Sulpicia behind her seems as eager and excited as her husband usually is. What are they planning?

I greet the second Queen, who greets me back, and ask the question aloud.

"The Kings, as you call them, are having a meeting," Athenodora begins.

"Which means that they will be in a very serious and probably bad mood," Sulpicia goes on.

"And your job as the Queens is to help them relax," I finish.

In the three months I lived with them, I already noticed this pattern. When only the Family was around, husbands and wives lose all restraint and become much more... sexual. I have seen Sulpicia and Aro leave the room several time, clearly going to their private chambers to finish what they had started, and I have been told by the three dark-haired Volturi that Athenodora and Caius used to hold back even less. My presence makes both of them too uncomfortable to act as they usually do, Marcus had guessed. As such, I never got to see the two in the act - not that I am complaining. Or maybe I am? I am way too curious about my mate's sexual life. I never slept with him!

_A, you did, twice, B, you never had sex with anyone but Marcus anyway._

True enough, but I never was interested in anyone but the three Kings.

"I came with you every time for three months, remember?"

"Yes, I remember perfectly," Athenodora says, beaming. "You and Marcus are so cute together. He is so sweet with you."

"Hey!" Didyme protests. "Unlike you and your husband, we kept sex to our rooms!"

"He still touched you under your dress," Athenodora points out. "And Caius and I seldom did more than that the last few centuries."

That has Sulpicia laughing silently.

"What is it?" Athenodora shoots at her.

"You don't do more _as long as Aro and I are still there_," the dark-haired Queen corrects.

"Well, Marcus comes from the same time as Caius and I, he isn't as shy and prude as you, young people."

"If you give a show, why should he look away?" Didyme asks.

"Exactly," Athenodora approves.

What a strange conversation the Queens and I are having. I love it! Sex talks are always so fun and light. And they help getting answers without being too obviously noisy.

"Well, it isn't that I don't like chatting with you," my mate's former (?) wife says, "but we came for a precise reason."

She looks at me, holding my gaze.

"Since early this morning, Caius and I are only friends."

The world seems to freeze as my brain scrambles to process this information. I keep my thoughts in check however, not wanting to scare the Queens again by spacing out. I really shouldn't do that while holding important conversations, especially when Athenodora _needs_ me to answer her. I doubt she wants to be 'only friends' with Caius.

"Only friends," I repeat doubtfully. "Oh, Athenodora, you and him will never be 'only friends'. You are best friends, and always will be. And who knows..." I add, trying to convey playfulness through my tone, "you may chose to be friends with benefit too?"

She stays silent for a while before murmuring:

"You wouldn't mind?"

Sulpicia answers in my stead, laughing.

"She will have both Caius and Marcus, and already shares Marcus with Didyme. Of course she is fine with sharing Caius with you! I told you this already."

She turns to me.

"Now, you and Caius obviously need help getting together, don't you?"

"That's an understatement," Athenodora giggles, brightening once more. "I want you to have sex before the sun rises tomorrow!" she declares.

I sputter at this, my cheeks getting warm as their muscles tighten to keep me from squealing.

"Be happy I'm done eating!" I cry out. The blond Queen only laughs at my discomfort.

"Shy and unassuming younglings," she mutters under her breath.

"I am neither shy nor unassuming when it comes to my sexuality," I protest. "I have no problem speaking about it."

"But you never had sex with someone else but Marcus present."

I stare at her, confused. Where is this going? ... Oh no. Kissing Marcus and displaying desire for all to smell when Caius is around is something. Having sex in front of him to make him jealous is another... Hell no.

Or maybe yes? If he isn't simply watching awkwardly, but actually taking part, in some way or another...

This time, my cheeks are aflame.

"You are getting ahead of yourself, Athenodora," Sulpicia scolds her. "First of all: Anna, do you want to have sex with Caius?"

"..." I stare at her, eyes wide. "Yes, I do," I finally answer, as firmly as I can manage. I do not need to look at her to know that the oldest Queen is laughing silently at me.

"Do you trust us?"

_No._

"Yes," Didyme answers before I can.

... Apparently I do trust them. Well, if the three Queens team up to help me get Caius in my bed, or to help me get into his bed, who am I to complain?

I simply hope my pride and my dignity will survive whatever they have planed.


	49. Chapter 49

Athenodora, Sulpicia and I chat for a few yours, until Aro's wife decides that 'our men' have had enough time to discuss what they needed to discuss.

Confident isn't a word that can be applied to me as I follow the two older women on the way to the Kings' office, also called the Kings' lounge. I am feeling very self-conscious at the thought of entering with the two Queens, wondering if the three leaders of the Volturi see our arrival as an invitation to relax _with us_. Or rather on us. In us.

Anyway. It is a stupid concern since I have been going to see the Kings after their meetings for a few months now. Their thoughts about my arrival probably didn't change, since Aro doesn't really care about my sexual life, and the two others have no way of knowing that the Queens are planning for me to do more than just kiss Marcus.

I am not sure about Aro's disinterest, I muse, forgetting to feel out of place when Sulpicia knocks on the door and her husband's voice welcomes us in. The mind-reading King likes to know everything and intrude in everything after all.

I go to sit down next to Marcus, smiling back when he grins at me.

"Having a nice day?" I ask.

"It only got nicer the moment you stepped in," my lover whispers to me, his gaze slipping to something over my shoulder. I turn my head to see Athenodora take her hand away from Aro's as the King nods, mischievous delight shining in his eyes. I turn back to Marcus.

"You know which question she asked him?"

"No, I do not know. But I am eager to see," he whispers, so lowly I wouldn't have heard it without Didyme enhancing my senses.

"How I miss the days before the foolish Cullen came to Volterra," Caius sighs from his couch a few meters away. "I am not used to dealing with you anymore. Can't you go back to being an empty and silent shell?"

I feel my eyes widen as his words sink in. He must have heard Marcus, but why such a cruel comment?

"Am I too much for you to handle, brother?" my lover asks, more amused than offended, turning away from me to face said brother.

"On your own, you are fine. But you and Aro together are too tiring to be anything else but insufferable."

The raven-haired King looks up from his mate's lips at that, a very unfitting innocent expression on his face. He doesn't reply though, as his wife kisses his lips close the moment he opens his mouth to speak.

I hum and lean into Marcus' side, the arm he put around my waist tightening his hold on me.

"Are you tired?" He murmurs.

"Only of talking, I had enough of that this morning," I answer. He laughs at that, before proceeding and catching my lips with his. I turn around, going from sitting next to him to straddling his lap, my hands in his hair, holding his head close to mine. He chuckles silently against my mouth, but returns my passion, pressing me against him, one hand going down to rest on my ass.

I am starting to ponder whether or not I want to take things further _right here and right now,_ knowing that the Queens won't be happy if I leave this room with anyone else but Caius, but Didyme takes the decision away from me. She moves our hands to her mate's shoulders, then to the front of his shirt. I can't say which of us in is control as we pop the button open and lean down to kiss the cold, soft but hard marble skin that is appearing.

Marcus ends up topless, and he leans back against the couch back, offering his chest to our ministrations. I wonder if he knows how close to the surface Didyme is right now. Can he see her presence through his bond sight? Am I being so bold because of her influence, or is it my own desire which makes me so proactive despite the others' presence? Or is the discussion of this morning lower my inhibitions?

None of the above, I realize as I lick Marcus' throat while playing with one of his nibbles. He groans softly at my action, and sits me higher on his lap, so I straddle his growing erection.

If I am acting like this... It is because of the mating bond, and the fire in my veins. I want Marcus and Caius. Both of them. Right now. And right now... I am more Diane than Anna or Didyme. Her actions are mine, and mine are hers. We want _passion_. We want _need_. We want to hear our mates cry in pleasure under our touch.

One of our hands goes down, slipping in Marcus' trousers. Every inch of my skin is tingling from the adrenaline that courses through me. I am vaguely aware that Didyme is unconsciously using her power on me, taking away my will to rethink through my desires before acting upon them.

I straighten and stare into Marcus' now black completely black eyes. He isn't under Didyme's influence, or he would already be inside me, I decide, watching his lust filled gaze. I find no reason to call my vampire host back to order, as long as I am consciously aware that I am under her influence and that her power isn't affecting the Kings or their Queens.

Foot steps can be heard as Aro and Sulpicia stand up and leave the room to head to their private quarters. I go back to exploring my lover's chest.

"Are you going to stay there all day, unmoving, staring hatefully at Marcus?" I hear Athenodora say, anger or maybe disappointment lacing her voice.

Marcus straightens at that, moving me back to his level, pressing my chest against his as he hugs me close. He turns his head to look at his brother.

"Haven't we talked about this yesterday?" he asks, annoyed, voice rising. "I haven't known you to be so defeatist! Is being jealous of me and angry against your blindness the sole reaction you can muster? Will you stay silent, leaving this as a gap between us, when you know you can talk to me about anything? You only have to say the words!"

"I am no liar," Caius snarls. "You will never here me say the words you are expecting me to say!"

Marcus huffs.

"Be stubborn and stupid, if this is what you want. I am fed up of trying to reason with you."

"Men!" Athenodora cries out, standing up from where she was sitting at Caius' side, and moving towards me.

She extends her hand to me.

"Let them fight, let them fight! They like nothing more than to be right."

I take her offered hand, and she pulls me to my feet, away from Marcus... and close to her.

"Men are so stupid," she whispers. And she kisses me.


	50. Chapter 50

_**Previously :**_

_"Men are so stupid," she whispers. And she kisses me._

* * *

Caius' surprised gasp has me smiling into Athenodora's lips and kiss her back passionately.

I never thought of kissing a woman before, the idea never appealed to me. I simply am not attracted by women, not in the slightest, and few are the men who once featured in my fantasies. But kissing Athenodora isn't unpleasant. Her skin is exactly like Marcus', but her lips are fuller. However, the main difference comes from the _reason why _we are kissing.

This is not about passion, want or desire. This is about trying to make the Kings react. I wonder if this is the Queens' grand plan and what Athenodora asked Aro about. It probably is.

I am surprise by how easily the kiss becomes more and more heated. My focus isn't on Athenodora, though I am actually enjoying her embrace. In between passionate kisses, the Queen and I look at each other, laughter in our eyes, and steel quick glances towards the two confused Kings.

I push Athenodora back, until she sits on the couch Aro and Sulpicia vacated, and I move to straddle her, our lips still brushing and caressing.

She opens her mouth, and I make my tongue meet hers between our parted lips. The slightly awkward feeling I have is completely overshadowed by the satisfaction and the excitement filling me. Athenodora must feel the same, for a thrilled chuckle escapes her.

She covers it by moaning in my mouth and by starting to remove my shirt. I only lean deeper into our kiss, until I have to pull away and to lift my arms for her to undress me. She throws the garment away, and goes back to kissing me, her hands roaming over my now exposed skin. My bra is far from enough to keep me warm, but Didyme is quick to cover more of my skin.

A glance in the Kings direction is all I need to kiss Athenodora with renewed passion and rub myself on her legs, moaning.

At some point, Caius and Marcus went to stand together, and they are watching us, bewildered... and very excited, turned on by the unexpected display. My mate's eyes are completely veiled with lust and desire.

"Did Athenodora steel Anna away from us?" Marcus asks, whispering, as if to not disturb us. "This is so unfair!" he complains. His betrayed tone is however laced with amusement.

Caius laughs, but his voice is rough, and another glance in his direction shows me that he is still very focused on the way his closest friend is caressing my back, my chest and my belly. Athenodora even trails a finger on the edge of my bra, as if hesitating to put it off.

Marcus' eyes are following the same gestures, but he is calmer. He has a way better control over his desire than Caius does, but I know for a fact that it is exactly that: control. He isn't any less passionate once in bed, he simply acts less upon urges and feelings but more upon thoughts and rational decisions.

Athenodora's fingers close on my belt and start undoing it. Didyme's perfect hearing catches Caius discrete intake of air. His breath shudders as he releases it.

The Queen and I share a look. She is triumphant, as I am. She moves me around to take off my shoes and my socks, and goes back to kissing me, her hands moving to open my zipper. After a little wiggling, my jeans fall on the floor. I am now only wearing my bra and my very wet knickers.

Athenodora breathes deeply.

"Hmm... You smell so nice."

This time, Caius can't keep a warning growl from escaping his chest.

The Queens laughs, standing up, me at her side.

"This is how things are done," she declares. "You have a dripping wet woman whom you want and who wants nothing more than to be with you? Kiss her. Kiss. Her. Don't quarrel with your brother! Men, honestly," she sighs, sharing an exasperated look with me.

Then, she steps back, leaving me to stand alone in the middle of the room, in nothing but my undergarment, and under the burning gaze of my lover. Caius turned his head away.

Heaven, is he stubborn!

I feel horribly self conscious from the failed attempt but decide to pretend I am not bothered by anything but the need in my lower belly. I walk toward Marcus, and he reaches me with vampire speed, lifting me up to hold me in his arms, my legs around his waist.

"You are so wet with desire," he murmurs, one hand roaming my back, the other moving to play with the fabric between my legs. "And your skin is vampire cold."

"Courtesy from Didyme," I explain. "Athenodora's touch is heavenly, but I was getting a bit cold from the lack of clothes."

Marcus purrs into a hum, one hand caressing me from the bottom of my ass to the top of my neck and back again. The gesture down lowers my knickers, but he lifts them up again before sitting down. He places me on his lap and spreads his legs a bit to open mine wider and give him better access to my core, to which his fingers are quick to move.

I sigh in pleasure, closing my eyes.

Even through the haze of sensations coming from my folds, I do not miss the light and tentative touch against my left side. I am all too aware of Marcus' right hand caresses between my legs and of his left one hold on my hip.

_Caius._

I open my eyes to see my lover look over my shoulder, his eyes questioning.

He must have gotten a positive answer for he lifts me up and gently pushes me back into someone's chest. Arms close around me, and I can hear someone inhale deeply in my neck before releasing a long shuddering breath.

"In total, you just spent one hour and twenty three minutes watching Anna be kissed and touched by Marcus or by me," Athenodora comments. "I didn't expect for you to last that long! Near the end, I started fearing that you would manage to hold back."

Caius doesn't reply, too focused on our embrace and the feeling of my skin against his. Never before did he touch me so intimately, and I am sure he is all too aware of it. He doesn't move but for his inhaling and breathing in of my scent, and the small circles his fingers are drawing against my belly.

"Don't you think Anna has waited long enough?" Marcus murmurs, and I open my eyes to look at him, as I closed them so as to better enjoy my mate's touch.

The dark-haired King is perfectly calm and collected, and extremely gentle, as if he is trying to reassure his brother. The relief I feel coming from Caius as he holds me makes me wonder whether, as a vampire, he felt the mating pull more than I did. I am very surprised by how content he seems with this chaste embrace, when I saw row desire burn in his eyes mere minutes ago.

"You should take her to your bedroom and give her release," Marcus advises.

For a moment I doubt my mate heard him, but the next second, I am moving at vampire speed through the corridors, being carried bridal style.

Caius lays me down carefully on his bed, his fingers lingering on my arm at he straightens, displaying his unwillingness to let go.

I stare up at him, at his perfect features that no frown is disfiguring. Marcus is gorgeous. When I stare at my mate, another word comes to my mind.

"You are so beautiful," I whisper.

He smiles slightly, but with no joy. His eyes are searching mine, uncertain. He opens his mouth, as if to speak, but no words come out. Instead, he simply breathes, inhaling air that he doesn't even require.

"Sit down?" I suggest shyly. His own fear is subduing me, calling out my softest side.

He obeys silently, barely putting his ass down on the mattress. I take one of his hands and move back to the middle of the bed, pulling him to me, with no results.

"Lie down with me?" I beg.

He looks away from me to his feet, and I can hear two small "thump"s, sign that he put off his shoes without using his hands, both of which I can perfectly see.

He then turns, and lies down at my side, facing me. I brush a finger on the side of his face, tracing the edge of his chiseled jaw.

"So beautiful," I repeat.

But there is one promise I made myself that I won't break.

I stare right into his eyes.

"When you look at me, do you like what you see?" I ask.

This silent Caius is troubling me deeply. I never would have thought I would one day see him so hesitant and shy! Is it that he doesn't know how to behave towards me, now that I am no mere human anymore, but someone who actually matters?

"Please, I beg you, answer me."

He looks down at my body then, his eyes stopping at my breasts. He lifts one hand, caressing the skin next to my bra. Then, he moves his hand lower to my side, and closes his fingers around my love handles.

"You are very desirable," Caius says finally. The meaning is clear. I am tempting, but not pretty. This will have to do.

I grin at him with a confidence I am not sure I possess.

"Before a few weeks went by, you will think me the most enticing woman you've ever seen, and will find me more beautiful than most women in the world."

He lifts his eyebrows at that, disbelief on his face.

I move to straddle him, and bend down, my head above his, my hair falling around his face. Our lips meet, and I kiss his softly. He inhales, and brushes his lips against mine. I kiss him with more and more passion, and he relaxes between my touch, presses me down against his chest. With each passing seconds, he gains confidence, and our kissing deepens. Our tongues finally meet and stroke each other in a passionate dance.

When I pull away, breathless, onyx eyes are staring back at me, a hard glint in them.

Caius flips us over so he body is now covering mine, and he starts kissing my neck hungrily, before biting in softly. He stops when he realizes that his teeth can't pierce my hardened skin.

"Didyme better be protecting every inch of you, because in a few seconds, I won't be able to hold back," he warns.

I only lift my legs in response, pushing on his trousers with my feet.

I soon understand part of why he was so afraid and careful at the beginning. Marcus used vampire strength when he made love to me, but tried to keep it at a minimum, and mostly kept to a human pace. Caius does neither.

In a flash, he takes his clothes off and removes my bra and my panties. His eyes roam over my naked body, desire plain in his gaze. He lies down on me, and while Marcus always takes his time kissing me, exploring my body, then stroking my folds, and finally making love to me, Caius moves from the kissing to the making love part. He spreads my leg apart, settles between them, and enters me. His isn't holding back on his vampire strength. And then, he starts to move, fast. As groans come up from his chest, he bits into my shoulder to muffle them.

This is _very_ different from what I experienced with Marcus. Different, but nice too, in a completely different manner.

Marcus' moves spoke of love and affection. Caius' are of passion, need and fire.

I clutch at his back, holding him against me, and very, very thankful for Didyme. Fate knew exactly what it was doing, letting her die, and letting her come back as some cells inside my body. I would never have survived this as a normal human. But maybe I would have been changed by now?

We will never know. But there is no need to know.

A chunk of my shoulder breaks off when Caius bits harder into it as he cums. Thankfully, I feel no pain, and Didyme is quick to heal me.

My mate doesn't move out of me, though he stops thrusting. He looks down at me, his eyes crimson again, arrogance back in the way he holds himself.

"Well, obviously you survived," he comments dryly, smirking.

I laugh. This Caius is familiar.

"Can you sleep like that?"

"With you inside me? I probably can," I answer. "But I bet you are going to wake me up soon enough."

"Did you expect anything less?"

I smile at him, before closing my eyes.

"Of course I didn't."

He shifts so half of his weight is on the mattress rather than on me, and, exhausted, I am quick to fall asleep, content as never before.


	51. Chapter 51

True to his words, Caius doesn't let me get a lot of sleep that night. When I leave the bed to take a shower in the morning, I feel relaxed but far from rested, and I am rather hungry, having skipped diner. I am smiling though.

What happened yesterday was unexpected, but... nice. I simply hope that the fallout will be pleasant too. How will Athenodora react? And Marcus? And how will my relationship with Caius evolve?

I am eager to speak with the blond Queen and Didyme's mate, to see if they are having any regret about helping me. Is Marcus now jealous of his brother? Does he fear he will end up alone again? I really have to find a way to give Didyme a body. Is Athenodora feeling left aside? Is she wishing she could be the one in my stead?

Upon leaving the bathroom, I find Caius leaning against the wall, arms crossed, fully clothed, two very familiar vampires in front of him. They turn to face me.

My eyes first cross Marcus', as they did when I first met the Kings, and as they probably will keep doing as long as he stays the sun of my life. He is for me, I suppose, what Athenodora is for Caius. Our hearts are deeply intertwined, by warm love and sweet friendship. We are like Bella and Jacob, with the difference that my twin sister has only one man in her thoughts, whereas I have two. My heart, my soul, do not mind that I am sleeping with two different men, I realize. As long as Marcus and Caius are both fine with it, I am too. Does this make me a bad person? Is it wrong for Didyme and Marcus to be mates and in love while Marcus and I are friends and lovers, Caius and I are mates and maybe one day in love, and Caius and Athenodora are friends and lovers?

We make a very unusual chain, I reflect. I doubt such a thing could have happened, had the six Volturi not been so close to each other before my arrival. I wonder if they all consider me like part of their family now. They probably do. The two Queens who had a choice welcomed me with opens arms and behave with me as if I was one of them, I have no doubt that Marcus and Caius are not planning to see me go anytime soon, and I like Aro very much and think that the feeling is reciprocated.

Marcus is grinning as he looks me up and down, and Athenodora does the same. As my clothes were left in the Kings' lounge, I only have my bra and my panties in Caius' room, but I am not willing to wear them before having washed the sweat and my desire wetness out of the fabric. As a result, only a towel is covering my naked body.

"I brought you clothes!" Athenodora says happily, handing me clean lace underwear, and a dress.

I stare at her.

"A dress?" I ask. "Not that I have anything against dresses, but I look better in tight-fitting jeans."

"But they are annoying to put off, and I doubt you would appreciate us tearing them apart," Marcus comments.

I turn to him, surprised. Caius doesn't seem to mind the 'us'. How much were they able to discuss while I was taking my shower? The sound of water made me unable to hear them, and I did take my time. They probably spoke at vampire speed too. Ah, well, it isn't like I have any reason to be shy in their presence, and I can only be happy if they agree to share. Who never dreamed of experiencing a threesome?

I make the towel fall on the ground, and grab the panties first, putting them on. Athenodora starts laughing.

When I look up again to take the offered bra, Marcus and Caius are staring at me in disbelief.

"What is it?" I ask them innocently. "I thought you three were, out of the six of your family, the most comfortable with display."

"If you want to leave this room in the next few minutes," Caius growls, "you better put this bra and dress on, and _fast_."

"And it is _our_ family, my dear," Marcus tells me. I smile at him in thanks, but my brain is too busy to focus on his kind words. I turn to Athenodora, my gaze asking for advise. The excitement in her eyes is all the answer I need.

Breakfast can wait. I am _not_ going to waste this opportunity.

"Cheeky one," Marcus rumbles, stepping closer to me.

I stare harder at the blond Queen, and slip my gaze to Caius, hoping that Athenodora understands. She does.

She lays my clothes on the bed and walks to her friend, steps behind him, and closes her arms around him. I am confused for a few seconds, until her hands move down to the front of the King's trousers.

Marcus chuckles and start caressing my naked skin, pulling down the panties I just put on. Soon, all I can think of is him. Strangely, Didyme is the one to keep our hearing strained on our onlookers' reactions. They whisper to each other about sex. Athenodora is mainly asking teasing questions about how Caius enjoys the show and her hands. After he cums, she asks him to kneel and take care of her.

Between Didyme's reactions and mine, between Marcus touch, kisses, caresses and gentle thrusts and Caius and Athenodora's low sexy whispers, I completely forget to feel self-conscious. I simply enjoy the moment, caressing and kissing back my lover.

I leave Caius' bedroom eventually, as Athenodora drags me away from the two Kings, saying I need to eat.

"That was so hot!" she tells me in Ancient Greek on our way to the kitchen.

I laugh, glad she enjoyed it.

"I didn't know I had this in me," I admit in the same language.

Demetri appears at our side, grinning, a confused Felix at his side. The tallest of the two inhales.

"You smell of Master Caius!" he cries out in English, surprised. "And of Master Marcus too."

Athenodora laughs, still exhilarated, as I am.

"The Queens lightened our Masters' mood," Demetri says. "And they've been naughty it seems," he adds in his mother language. "A foursome?"

"Nearly," Athenodora replays.

As we enter the kitchen, leaving the two guards behind, we can hear Felix ask:

"What did they say?"

"Learn to speak Greek, you idiot!" Jane's voice can be heard.

Athenodora and I are still chuckling when Sulpicia arrives after I finished eating my breakfast. The dark-haired Queen sighs in satisfaction as she sits down next to me.

"Given Aro's reaction as he read Marcus and Caius' thoughts, I trust Anna spent a night as pleasant at mine," Sulpicia says. "So our plan worked?"

"It nearly didn't!" her blond sister complains. "But yes, it worked. And Anna and I had a wonderful morning."

"So I heard," Aro's wife smiles. "I left before our men could give any details, but I trust you will satiate my curiosity?"

We switch to Ancient Egyptian to tell her about the night and answer all her questions. We are perfectly aware that the guards are listening in.

It is around seven pm and I am playing board games with the Queens, Demetri, Felix, Alec and Heidi when Jane arrives.

"The receptionist is asking for you, an urgent call, she says."

I immediately stand up. The only people who would know to call the Volturi to reach me are the Cullens and the Wolves. Did something happen to Bella? They wouldn't call if she is simply being turned. I freeze at the most horrifying thought comes to me. Did Edward hurt her accidentally during their honeymoon? Is their venom somehow not working?

I stand up and start running to the reception. Arms lift me up, the world blurs, and I find myself where I wanted to be. I stumble slightly, disoriented, as I nod in thanks to Demetri. The guards and the Queens are gathering around us, obviously concerned.

I greatly admire the receptionist for nor flinching at all the vampires. She simply gives me her place in front of the computer, and I put the earphones one.

"Bella!" I cry, seeing my twin's panicked face on the screen. "What happened?" I ask, both anxious but also relieved that she looks well.

"He wants to kill him!"

... What? I take a deep breath to calm my racing and confused heart.

"Who wants to will who?"

Bella looks over her shoulder, scared. She must have come back early from her honeymoon, for she is in the Cullens' living room.

"Edward, he wants to kill my baby! I'm pregnant, Anna! Edward says the baby is a monster, but it is not! It's my child!"

I stare at her. I certainly wasn't expecting that. Vampires can impregnate humans? Humans and vampires are genetically compatible?

"It is an aberration of nature and it is going to kill you!" I can her Edward shout. A slap soon follows, and Rosalie comes in front of the webcam.

"The baby is going to be fine," the blond beauty tells me. "I will not let anyone touch them."

Resolve hard as steel settles in my gut. Didyme and I need not to speak to know what we are going to do.

"And Bella too will be fine," I declare, standing up. "Bella, I'm coming to Forks. I will help you. And Edward, shut up if you have nothing smart to say. The baby isn't going to hurt Bella. And it is a baby. A perfect, beautiful baby. It is hope, and life. Certainly not an aberration!" I look back at my twin's face. "You are going to be the best Mum ever," I tell her. "I'm coming. I'll be there tomorrow."

"Thanks, Anna," my sister whispers.

I hung up the Skype call and turn to face the baffled vampires around me.

"I'll call Master Aro," the receptionist says, taking the phone at the side of the desk. Smart woman.

Sulpicia is the first to recover.

"Demetri, call Arthur and Sebastian," she orders. "Let them know that they have to prepare the plane and to be ready to fly off to Seattle in two hours at the most. Heidi, please go pack a bag for Anna."

She has no time to give further orders as Aro picks up.

"Yes Gianna?"

"Bella Cullen called, she is pregnant, Master Aro. Mistress Anna wants to go to Forks to help her."

"Pregnant?" the Kings asks. "Is Anna at the reception?"

"Yes Master, as are the other Mistresses and most guards."

The phone calls end, and the only other human puts it back down. I admire how efficient she was, giving only important information, and all of it. I will ask Aro to turn her. She deserves it.

A few seconds later, the three Kings appear, the guards stepping back immediately. I give my hand to Aro, and Sulpicia is quick to do so too.

"Very well," Aro tells me. "You should indeed go. Tell me if it works. Jane, be ready to go. Athenodora, you will go too. Didyme, Anna, you know what to do."

He lifts his hands before his brothers can protest.

"We will not go until the scheduled birth. The Cullens and Wolves can be trusted with the safety of our dear women."

Aro gives me a last look, his expression understanding and serious.

_Be safe_, I can nearly hear him tell me. But he cannot say that aloud, as it would contradict his previous statement.


	52. Chapter 52

One hour and twenty five minutes later, our plan flies off from Florence. Only Jane and Athenodora are coming with me, and we all are very silent as we leave Italy behind.

"I'm going to bed," I tell the two blond women, standing up. Though I do not feel tired right now, I have had very little sleep last night, and I will need my strength once in Forks.

I know why Aro chose only Jane and Athenodora to come with me. Jane obeys to none but him, so she will not hesitate if she finds herself in a tricky situation. Aro would never send Sulpicia away, so only Athenodora could come to support me. The Kings can't be there, because they would never let me do what needs to be done. Athenodora, on the other side, may understand. And if she doesn't, Jane can take care of her.

Once in bed, I have to take deep breaths to calm myself. I am too alert to fall asleep, but for once, it isn't an excess of thoughts keeping me awake. On the contrary, my head is all empty, bur for one resolve. I need to help Bella, even if it may cost me my life.

"Think happy thoughts," Didyme whispers.

"I can't simply turn off my concern," I answer. "Good heaven, I am so scared we won't succeed and that Bella will be hurt. But I am also afraid at the idea that we could succeed, but that I will die. I do not want to die," I murmur pitifully to the darkness of the night.

"And you won't," the Queen promises me. "You are strong, and Caius needs you, we all need you. Caius. Think of Caius. Closes your eyes," she says, making my eyelids fall shut before I can do so on my own. "Picture him. Remember his passion, and his need."

My mate will be so angry if anything happens to me. He may not care for me yet, but his body craves my touch and will continue doing so for the length of eternity. Furthermore, Marcus will miss me. Oh, I have no doubt that he will move on, happy with Didyme, but he will mourn me, of that I am certain.

Athenodora. Athenodora... If I die, she will have Caius all for herself. With her help, he may move on too. Maybe. I still remember the vision Alice had, all those months ago. How badly can my death affect him, now that he knows me?

I do not realize I am crying until the door of the bedroom opens and two figures enter, one tall and one much smaller.

"You can't fall sleep?" Athenodora guesses, pretending she didn't notice my tears.

"It is difficult to, alone in this huge bed," I reply, standing up to look for a handkerchief in my hand bag. Thankfully, Heidi did not forget about them.

When I go back to lie down, I see the two blond women sitting on each side of the bed. Jane lets herself fall down on the mattress and spreads her arms and legs.

"Now, the bed isn't too big anymore," she says, her tone as serious and devoid of emotions as it always is. "See? It isn't that huge. If I take all the place, there is none left for you."

I chuckle as she sits up again, and helps me under the covers. She may be young looking, but I know she is way older than I am, and actually matured a bit, unlike Edward, though I wonder if it isn't linked to the horror she experienced as a human child. They would make anyone mature sooner.

"I know the best lullaby," Athenodora says. "I suggest we speak about our three Kings, about how sexy but infuriating they are, and about how nice it is to feel one of them deep inside our core."

"I wouldn't know about that," Jane says, "but I don't mind hearing about it! What do you meant when you said that it was 'nearly' a foursome?"

I listen to their discussion, and, finally relax, and drift away into sleep.

I wake up as we land on the East Coast for a quick refueling, and join the two woman in their chatting, as they stayed at my side all the while.

I am nearly running as I exit the plan in Seattle.

"Emmett, Sam!" I call as I see them.

The huge Cullen picks me up, laughing as he does so.

"Here's the little Queen! I'm glad you're there, there's a bit of a mess at home right now. Alice can't leave because Eddie wants to see if she has any vision, and Jasper has to calm him down. My Rose is keeping everyone in line, like the true bad-ass she is. She takes care of Bella. Your sister is fine, although she's getting a bit skinny."

I thank him for the quick fill up, and turn to Sam.

"And my Dad?"

"He is fine. He doesn't know that Bella is back. Talking about him... Under the rules of the new treaty with the Volturi, since he is very close to the tribe, we are allowed to tell him about the wolves and vampires. Billy and the other elders are thinking about maybe doing so, so he can know about Bella and see her," he explains, frowning.

"And what do you think of the situation?" I ask the Alpha as we walk to the shining narrow yellow sport car waiting for us.

"I don't like it," he says truthfully. "It has only been a few days, but the health of your sister is deteriorating far to fast. I am also concerned about the child. Will it be strong and hunger for blood?"

"Like an immortal child," Jane shudders. "If this is what happens, it will have to be killed."

"Exactly," the wolf agrees.

"But if the child is growing, they can learn," Athenodora whispers. "They can be taught to control their thirst."

But the child will maybe have to be put in isolation or even in a cell while it learns not to attack every living and breathing creature. I hope with all my heart that it won't be the case and that the child will take after his human mother when it comes to its food preferences.


	53. Chapter 53

"Bella!" I run to her as soon as I see her. She is sitting on the couch, a blanket covering her body, Rosalie standing guard in front of her. The blond vampire steps aside as I come near.

"Oh Anna," Bella cries, her eyes welling up with tears. "I am with child!"

"I know Bella, I know! It is so wonderful!" I hug her carefully and then kneel at her side, one hand on her legs.

"Everything will be fine," I promise my sister, staring in her eyes. "You will give birth, and you and your child are going to survive it, I swear. You'll be the best mother the little one could ever have wished for, I know it. Have you already thought about names?"

Bella opens her mouth to answer me when she is interrupted by an exasperated sigh.

"I'm not going to hurt your mate, she's immune to my power anyway, remember? Now, if you want to play the caring husband, go and obey your wife instead of discarding her wishes."

I smile at Bella.

"Jane," I tell her, in case she didn't recognize the young-looking vampire. "She's very sarcastic, but really fun when you know her."

"... I'll trust you about that?"

Days pass by, and I can only notice with the others how Bella's skin is fading, and how her bones are starting to show. She is dying, everyone can see it. And, as I miss Marcus, my mate, Aro and Sulpicia, and the guards I am on friendly term with, my mood darkens, and my resolve strengthens even more.

It is a Tuesday evening and Edward went out to hunt when I decide to make my move.

_"The time has come," _I text Aro through Skype.

His replay comes two second later.

_"I told Jane."_

I close my eyes, and turn away from the computer. I have been keeping in touch with Aro and Marcus mostly, though I sometimes spoke with Caius too when he was with Marcus at the time I called. We aren't very good at speaking with each other, our relationship being still purely physical. I wonder if I will ever see them again, and I wonder if Aro is thinking about me right now, hoping I and Didyme survive.

"Bella?" I call.

My twin turns tiredly to face me, her face lightening up at my call. However, once she sees my serious expression, a frown appears on her lips.

"What is it, Anna?" she asks.

"Remember how I promised you will survive this?" I whisper.

"No!" she immediately cries. "I will survive! Do not tell me otherwise! And if I die, it doesn't matter, because my child will be alive!"

"Bella," I call again, silencing her. "Bella, you and your child will survive. I swear. But right now you are dying, so I have to step in to fulfil my promise."

She stares at me, confused.

"Your human body is too weak," I explain. "Mine is too. But Didyme makes it stronger."

I turned some music on a few hours ago, and as no one comes rushing in, I take the guess that they can't hear us. In case someone does, Jane is keeping guard at the door of the room - if she received Aro's message. I don't want anyone to interfere. First, because it could very well kill me to stop the transfer, secondly, because even if the transfer itself kills me, I want it to happen. Bella has to survive. I am, between the two of us, the one who should never have been born. I already lived longer than I should. But my sister is meant have eternity in front of her, and this eternity, I will give it to her.

"You want to..."

"Transfer Didyme to you. So she can heal and strengthen your body."

"Is it... Is it dangerous?" Bella asks.

"No, it isn't. Our skin simply have to touch, and Didyme will move from me to you. You're fine with it?"

My twin hesitates a bit, but then nod.

"If it doesn't hurt you," she agrees.

I smile at her, and kneel next to the couch. I press my hands against the side of her neck and lay my forehead against hers.

And it begins.

I can feel my skin tingle as Didyme cells dissociate from my own, and slowly, a cold feeling is spreading through my body, accumulating in the tip of my fingers and the front of my head. I feel weak, very weak. Breathing becomes hard, so I stop trying to get air in my lungs.

Didyme was my pacemaker and my breathing apparatus. My body is realizing that it doesn't know how to function without her help.

I can hear Bella shout, but the sound is very dim. Because of the loss of the improved hearing maybe?

"Help me! Please, someone help me!"

And then, nothing. My heart stops beating. And my body throws my soul away.

* * *

I cry out in fear as I feel myself be pushed away into the ceiling, away from what looks very much like _my body_.

"What the fuck?" I shout, disbelieving, as I literally _go through_ the ceiling. Without breaking it.

I immediately try to swim down, and though going through solid wood and cement is very, very strange, I manage to return to the room in time to see Carlisle burst in, frantic, a resigned Jane is his wake. His eyes take it all in. Bella, who is breathing deeply, not looking anymore different than this morning, and me, lying on the floor, my heart silent. The real me, or my soul I suppose, he doesn't see.

The Cullen patriarch doesn't lose time asking questions. He jumps to my body and start pressing on the chest with his hands. 1, 2, 3, ...

I swim down until I go _through_ Carlisle and end up moving _through_ my body.

_Er... Body? Can I come back in?_

It is then that I see them, the ropes. They are around my body, and around me. Gold, and blue, and shining, so brightly shining. Two are going in Bella's direction, four are heading at the same wall, and the seventh moves around.

I can hear nothing. Slowly, I lose my sight too. My body is dying. My brain shuts down. I, who have been able to walk through words I made up, can not imagine anything anymore. The only things that remains are the bonds, bright and beautiful, and the two warm orbs that have appeared at the end of the two bonds that went to Bella.

Two bonds, two orbs. I doubt I am linked to Bella's child. We succeeded. Didyme went into her.

_Bella, Dad, Marcus, Caius, everyone... I am so sorry. I lived more years than I ever should have. I do not regret a single second of my life, and I do not regret how I chose to end it. I love you all, and I am so sorry for the hurt my death will cause you. Please, do not cry for me. I remember all the nice moments I spent in your company, and I bask in the light of those I love. Do not cry for me. I am happy._


	54. Chapter 54

My heart is beating wildly in my chest, my blood is singing in my veins. I breath deeply against my mate's lips, my body pressed against his. The cold of his vampire nature is sweeping into me, calming me.

For eighteen years, we have waited for tonight, the night we would be allowed to kiss once more. Those eighteen years have been long, but they were worth it. Our relationship evolved greatly, and all the bonds between Kings and Queens shifted and settled into place. Moreover, more importantly, these years were worth it because my Mum survived giving birth to my older sister Renesmee and survived giving birth to my twin and I, only five months after she had her first child.

Mum. Although starting to think about my former twin as my mother has not been as difficult as I thought it would be, to be stuck into a toddler's body with all my memory has been very strange. Thankfully, as hybrids, Didyme and I were quick to regain our adult bodies.

Didyme. She is the reason why I was born in my first life, and also the reason why I was reborn. After eighteen years of sharing a body, our bond was such that she was able to tug on it, bringing my soul back to the living. She had 'stolen' a few of my cells during the transfer of her essence from my old body to Bella's, and used them to create a new body for me, like she also created a body for herself in our mother's womb.

Mum was turned shortly after Didyme and I's birth. Didyme had to put all of herself into baby her to make the body hers, so she could not assist Mum for her second delivery. Carlisle, our grandfather, helped removing us safely from our mother's belly, and Dad then bit her. And here we are.

"Can you forgive my Dad now?" I ask Caius as my breathing evens out. He groans and lays a soft kiss upon my lips.

"We'll see," he answers. "It depends on whether he continues interfering or not."

Dad forbid my two sisters and I to have sexual relations or even to kiss our mates before our eighteenth birthday, even though our bodies turned adult years earlier. For Renesmee and Jacob, respecting this rule had been difficult. For Didyme and Marcus, Caius and I, it has been nearly impossible. We were all used to sharing kisses and hugs with the one we desire and or love, so refraining from doing so was a struggle. But we survived.

During our second childhood, Didyme and I lived with our parents, of course, but our family took to staying in Volterra one week every two months, as a request from the Kings and Queens. Not that Didyme and I minded spending time with our closest friends and our mates.

"Don't we have a family meeting to attend in a few minutes?"

Caius groans at the reminder.

"Aro and Carlisle are insufferable," he complains, for the two men are those who insisted on everyone gathering today, although Didyme and I would have been happy spending the day reuniting physically with our mates.

"Well, I, for one, want to see Marcus and Didyme," I declare, standing up to look for clothes and take a quick shower. I am eager to know how their reunion went and, of course, I want the steamy details.

Marcus and I are still extremely close, and are still physically attracted by each other, but we are not planning on becoming lovers once more. We know that our mates will give us all the physical love we need. We never discussed the possibility of a foursome with our two Kings, but my twin and I have fantasied together about it, to our father's distress. As for Athenodora, she found a lover with whom to share caresses and kisses: Demetri.

"You wear a dress," is Caius' first reaction as I come out of the bathroom.

I smile up at him, watching as his gaze racks down my body, undressing me in his thoughts. The moment our eyes lock, I know he understood why I chose a dress. He steps forward, takes my face between his hands, and bends down to kiss me. His lips are so soft and always taste heavenly. I run the tip of my tongue on his lower lip, making him growl. Nuzzling my cheek, he moves to whisper in my ear.

"You are playing a dangerous game," he says.

"I do?"

"Correct me if I am mistaken, but you seem willing to tease me during the meeting... And I doubt your family would appreciate it if I were to act upon the temptation you represent."

I chuckle. My arms upon his shoulders, crossed between his head, I stand up on my toes to be closer to his level.

"I am not planning to tease you during the meeting. I simply want you to behave and be eager for what will come afterwards."

I lay a light kiss on his lips.

"I thought it may help making the meeting more bearable for you."

He laughs shortly.

"It will be my pleasure to fantasize about all that I will do to you tonight. And I shall take the greatest joy in knowing how much my 'dirty' thoughts annoy your father."

"But Aro will love it," I comment, smiling.

"Because his opinion is so much more important than your father's," my mate snorts. "What an amazing daughter you are."

I pout, and kiss his full lips again without breaking eye contact. His eyes are a dark crimson, as they often are when I am near, if they aren't of the deepest onyx shade.

"Do we really have to attend the meeting?" he asks, his hands lowering on my back.

"Yes, we have," I giggle, "and yes, you have to behave while the Cullens are there."

This answer earns me a burning gaze.

"But I don't have to behave anymore once they leave."

"No, you don't." I confirm before kissing his lips once more. I missed their touch these last eighteen years, and our kisses now hold so much more meaning than they did before. It isn't only about sex anymore, though Caius and I still prefer to stick to light-hearted discussions, not feeling comfortable opening our hearts to each other with words. We have other ways to speak about the things that really matters.

There is touch, and his tells me how much he desires me and appreciates my presence. There are our eyes. His tell me everything I need to know. I never heard the words, but I saw them in the softening of his gaze when he looks at me. We are both slowly falling in love, and it is a process that will never end. We will fall, together, forever, our love never dying but always growing. We both want to spend eternity together, and we are damn stubborn. We want it, it will happen.

I do not need for him to voice his feelings to know that he will never leave my side. One look in his eyes is enough, for one look says it all.

_**THE END**_

* * *

_**Thank you so much to all of you who read this story! And special thanks to those who followed, added One Look Says It All to their favourite and reviewed! It is never too late to do so however, so feel free to write a few words to tell me if you enjoyed this fanfiction. Feedback is always welcome, even when the story in complete!**_

_**If you want more, I invite you to check out my new story, The Vultures' Sparrow.**_


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